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The FIFA World Cup is back and brings a familiar sense of excitement along with it. People all over the world are already rooting for their beloved countries, as the global football extravaganza kicks off.
It has been almost six years since the last Iberian derby - a major international rivalry between Spain and Portugal. The two football supergiants take on each other on 15th June in the second match of Group B, in what promises to be an absolute thriller of a contest.
The last time these two sides went head-to-head, was in the semi-finals of Euro 2012 when Spain beat Portugal 4-2 by penalties after a goalless match. Spain is serious favorites to lift the title this time and would be looking to start their World Cup campaign with a bang.
But Portugal showed that they can defy all odds and won the Euro 2016 even though they were the underdogs of the match.
Head-to-head records: 35 matches. Spain(18). Portugal (6). Draw(12). No Result(1).
Let us take a look at the five things to watch out for in the massively anticipated Iberian derby.
#1 The threat of Cristiano Ronaldo
If there is a player who can win you matches single-handedly and keep scoring decisive goals in every other match, it has to be Cristiano Ronaldo.
Already 33 years of age, the goal-machine shows no chances of slowing down and continues to baffle football pundits with his fitness at this age and his goal-scoring prowess.
Arguably the best finisher in world football at the moment, Cristiano has had a stellar career with Portugal and he leads the international scoring charts for active players, having scored a mind-boggling 81 goals in 150 appearances for Portugal.
This may very well be Ronaldo's last World Cup and he would look to cement his status as the greatest player of all time if he wins the trophy this time out. He has an edge over rival Lionel Messi, having won the Euro 2016.
He has demonstrated on multiple occasions that no defense is good enough to stop him on his day.
He would definitely be looking to trouble the Spanish centre-back duo of Gerard Pique and club-mate Sergio Ramos.
Can Ronaldo send Portugal off to a flying start?
#2 The Battle of the Midfield
Spanish football has been about its midfield ever since inception and a large part of the credit for winning three major international trophies from 2008-2012, goes to the creativity that Spain possesses in their midfield.
Spearheaded by veteran Andres Iniesta, the attacking midfield comprises of Koke, Saul and David Silva.
Marco Asensio and Isco's versatility makes them so vital to the team balance. The defensive midfield positions are marshaled by Thiago Alcantara and Sergio Busquets who can easily snuff out opposition attacks.
Portugal's midfield is comparably weaker than Spain in terms of depth. However, the presence of Joao Moutinho does turn heads.
He can change the course of the game of his own, and he will ply his trade along with Joao Mario, Adrien Silva, William Carvalho. Gelson Martins brings flexibility into the team and Bernardo Silva is the major man when it comes to creativity.
#3 Diego Costa: A bull in search of rejuvenation
The Atletico Madrid forward was born in Brazil and represented his native country on two occasions as well. However, he later switched nationalities and started playing for Spain. So far, he has made 19 appearances for Spain and scored seven goals for them.
Costa's career has been nothing less than a roller-coaster ride. He rose to prominence with some wonderful performances for Atletico Madrid in 2013-2014. Chelsea purchased Costa for a sum of £32 million in 2014 and he became Chelsea's main striker over the next two and half seasons.
However, he had a fallout with manager Antonio Conte in January 2017 and had to spend half a season from the sidelines. He returned to his former club Atletico Madrid in January 2018 and since then has struggled for goals.
Costa's capability to hold the ball, score decisive goals and fool opposition defenders makes him a proper defensive forward. The World Cup is the best platform for him to rejuvenate his career and return back to his previous form.
In the absence of Alvaro Morata, Costa will have to compete with Rodrigo and Iago Aspas for the centre-forward position.
So don't be surprised if Diego slams a few goals past opposition keepers, this time out.
#4 The Spanish defensive wall
Spain possesses one of the best defenses of all the teams that are competing in the tournament.
They had a solid UEFA World Cup qualifying campaign in which their rock-solid defense conceded a meager three goals and their flamboyant attack scored a staggering 34 goals.
The two most reliable center-backs in world football - captain Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique do a wonderful job of nullifying the opposition attacks.
The return of Dani Carvajal from injury greatly boosts Spain's chance of winning the cup, because he is one of the finest right-backs in the game right now.
Jordi Alba is a veteran whose pace and crossing skills make him almost impossible to deal with. Cesar Azpilicueta's versatility to function as a wing-back or a center-back makes him a very reliable player.
Nacho, Alvaro Odriozola and Nacho Monreal are really good players and can be trusted to perform whenever their services are required.
#5 A resilient Portugal vs A Troubled Spain
Spain had everything going their way and things turned upside down in an instant. Head coach Julien Lopetegui was sacked by the Spanish Football Federation and Real Madrid appointed him as the manager of the club.
This has caused a turmoil within the Spanish camp and it's definitely bad news because of the upcoming match. Several important players like Ramos appealed to keep Lopetuigi, however, Spanish FA sacked him because they were not informed about Julien's negotiations with Madrid.
Fernando Hierro has taken over as the head coach and although he may be a great player, the only time he managed a team was in 2016 - Real Oviedo.
On the other hand, Fernando Santos has always preferred a low-key approach and has hardwired his Portugal side with resilience, that makes them a really dangerous team. However, the problem with the Portugal manager is that he still hasn't cemented his starting XI.
Portugal showed they can continuously attack and defend, and win matches as well. Portugal will prove to be a tough test for Spain.
They could very well win the match and Spain need to be on their toes if they wish to win the match.
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Who will reign supreme in this match? Sound off in the comments section below!
