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#3 Ruben Dias
Despite boasting a wealth of attacking options, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal under Fernando Santos has been defined by defensive resilience. That solidity was lacking at Euro 2020, as A Selecao conceded in three of their four games, including four times against Germany.
Despite conceding just six goals in eight World Cup qualifying games, they were breached by Serbia in both fixtures, and now find themselves in a tough spot. Turkey's talented forward line, which includes Burak Yilmaz, Cengiz Under and Hakan Calhanoglu, could bother the Portuguese defence.
The responsibility of marshalling Santos' backline will fall upon Manchester City star Ruben Dias.
Voted the Premier League's Player of the Year for 2021 in his debut season in England, Dias is among the world's best defenders. With 14 goals conceded in 23 games, the Sky Blues currently boast the stingiest defence in English football for the second season running.
If Dias and co. can keep a clean sheet in the qualifying playoffs, Portugal have more than enough attacking firepower to secure their passage to Qatar.
#2 Joao Cancelo
Manchester City wing-back Joao Cancelo was arguably the biggest miss for Portugal at Euro 2020. The defender was ruled out of the competition before it had even started, due to COVID-19.
Under Pep Guardiola, Cancelo has developed into arguably the best full-back in the game. Versatility is his calling card, as Cancelo can play on either flank and in midfield as well.
If Portugal are to emerge from the playoffs, they will need to provide Cristiano Ronaldo with world-class service and delivery from out wide. Fortunately, Cancelo is among the best in the business. The full-back has three goals and eight assists in 29 appearances for Pep Guardiola's team this season.
Cancelo's crossing and ability to stretch play with his probing runs could be key for Portugal against Turkey. Thanks to his pace, the Manchester City man is also excellent at tracking back and shutting down counterattacks.
#1 Bruno Fernandes
Despite his sensational numbers for Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes has so far been unable to replicate that sizzling form for Portugal. Fernando Santos' single biggest conundrum is one that is currently also baffling Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford. Can Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo play together without compromising on the midfielder's freedom and impact?
Ronaldo and Fernandes started well together at United. The midfielder assisted the superstar forward on several occasions, particularly in the Champions League. However, as the season has progressed, it is increasingly obvious that playing Ronaldo with Fernandes results in certain restrictions on the latter, especially in terms of scoring and forward movement.
Bruno Fernandes thrives as the main man, and has struggled to fit into Portugal's stacked set-up alongside the likes of Bernardo Silva and Joao Felix. On his day, the Manchester United midfielder is a unique creative force. He has 47 goals and 36 assists in just 106 games for United, and is enjoying another fine individual season, with seven goals and 11 assists so far.
However, he has scored just six goals in 40 appearances for Portugal. If Cristiano Ronaldo and co. are to avoid missing out on the FIFA World Cup this year, they will need the real Fernandes to step up and not the pale imitation that fans saw at Euro 2020.
