51 min: Neto goes haring into space down the right. A promising situation for Portugal. He crosses low, but Ronaldo hasn’t been able to keep up with play and arrives way too late at the far post. “What must it be like to be a Balogun right now?” wonders Ian Copestake, managing to type out an email while theatrically stroking his chin. “A philosopher’s dream in that he officially exists yet morally, ethically and discursively should not if the rule of law is still a thing. But this is America. Truth is different now. So he is very real.”
49 min: Fernandes sends the free kick into a loaded box, and it’s way too strong for everyone. You’d think this match will catch alight at some point, but right now there are precious few signs of it happening.
48 min: Olmo and Ronaldo get involved in an attempted shirt-swapping incident. The former does more tugging than the latter, and it’s a free kick for Portugal out on the right. Fernandes to take.
46 min: Portugal are immediately on the front foot, and Fernandes swings a cross in from the left. But there’s nobody in red in the box. Cucurella ushers the ball out for a goal kick. “Mark Kennedy seems to be labouring under a misapprehension,” begins James Humphries. “It’s surely now clear that no American player can do something red card-worthy. Been fun trying to explain this farrago to my ten-year-old daughter btw, so thanks again to the US, Fifa and their shared lord and master for proving there’s nothing that money and power can’t turn to total [WORD REDACTED BY FAMILY WEBSITE EDITOR]. Hope the Belgians absolutely batter them.”
Portugal get the second half started. No changes.
Half-time postbag: the Donald papers. “I had a nightmare last night that halfway through the World Cup final, a US goal was disallowed! Then a fat guy in a suit and a red tie came down from the posh seats and stormed out onto the field screaming something about Mulligans and pardons and all manner of nonsense. Honest, Scott, it was like France and Kuwait in 1982 all over again. But it couldn’t happen here, surely” – Justin Kavanagh
“I have a question about USA v Belgium later today. What if Balogun does something red-card worthy? What if a foul against him is red-card worthy? Does the ref call Trump or vice versa?” – Mark Kennedy
“Maybe there’s hope for Scotland yet? You know, on account of the fact that El Presidente’s granny is from Scotland, and that he might want them to replace, say, England, or Columbia, or France, or, well, anybody else he doesn’t like through dubious methods. I’m sure a USA v Scotland final could be arranged easily enough” – Simon McMahon
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Half-time postbag: the Cristiano letters. “In response to Liisa‘s defense of Ronaldo, here are my thoughts on the matter. There’s a lot about Ronaldo that I dislike…his ego, some of his actions off the pitch…but there are things I do like. He had to deal with a lot growing up and had to fight and struggle to get to the top. And no doubt he’s a great athlete. One of the best to play the beautiful game. But time‘s arrow marches on, and nothing gold can stay, and unfortunately the sun is setting on Ronaldo‘s career. The impression, at least to me, is that Ronaldo doesn’t know how to handle this. He’s been a player for so long that it is etched into his identity. It may even be his identity. So he’s trying to delay the inevitable, because he doesn’t know who he is if he isn’t a soccer player. Meanwhile his selfishness is eroding the goodwill of some of us casual fans and neutrals. It’s sad, really, when you think of it. I pity Ronaldo” – Rebekah Voss
“Just to say Liisa that I almost certainly do need to go to therapy but not because of how I feel about Ronaldo. He was a sensational player and also incredibly annoying to people like me with a low tolerance for annoying people. These two things can, as the kids say, be true” – Niall Mullen
“As a 52-year-old who hasn’t played competitive football since I retired at the age of 10 after two competitive matches, I never thought I’d be able to compare myself to such a giant of the game, but I’m proud to say Ronaldo and I are now a lot alike in three important ways: Our best playing days are behind us, our movement is nonexistent, and many people are bewildered at why we would be selected to represent our country” – Gregory Phillips
“Portugal’s captain could at least have rebranded himself as ‘Donaldo’ for this tournament” – Andrew Goudie
“Nice tribute to Thomas Tuchel from Roberto Martinez, but someone should tell him that he doesn’t have to play with ten men in order to progress” – Gary Naylor
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HALF TIME: Portugal 0-0 Spain
This already has the feel of an extra-time and penalty-kick marathon.
45 min +4: Olmo is skittled out on the left. Baena sends the free kick into the Portugal box but Felix has been knocked over, and the whistle goes. The story of this half: it’s nearly happened, but not quite happened.
45 min +2: Porro loops a pass down the right to release Yamal into the box. Yamal puts his body and soul behind a shot, but it’s all power and no precision, and sliced many yards wide right. That was almost a shank. Off the hosel/ankle, perhaps? He was offside anyway.
45 min +1: The first of six additional first-half minutes. Neves attempts to release Ronaldo into the Spain box from the left, but Simon comes to the edge of his box to claim.
45 min: Olmo finds Oyarzabal just inside the Portugal box on the right. Oyarzabal takes a touch back infield, but he’s quickly surrounded. Veiga right up in his grille. The ball’s worked back to Rodri, who hoicks a daft shot way over the bar.
44 min: Mendes floats a cross in from the left, hoping to find Ronaldo at the back stick. But that’s been telegraphed, and it’s an easy pick for Simon.
43 min: That shock shakes Spain into life, and Yamal embarks on a couple of power-dribbles down the middle of the park. He’s knocked off the ball both times, and could easily have been given a free kick on each occasion for his trouble … but he doesn’t get one.
41 min: Mendes one-twos a short-corner routine with Felix. Suddenly he’s in space just to the right of the D. Mendes curls towards the top left. Porro gets a head on the ball, but only diverts it past Simon … and off the crossbar, and away! That was whistling at some speed, and Spain get away big-time with falling asleep at the corner.
Updated
40 min: Mendes, out on the left touchline, sprays a glorious diagonal to Cancelo on the opposite flank. Cancelo wins a corner. Mendes comes across to take it.
39 min: Felix was sent – accidentally – into the advertising hoardings while heading that ball back across goal. He takes a while to recover, but recover he does.
37 min: Neto crosses long from the right. Felix, on the corner of the six-yard box, heads the ball back across goal. Ronaldo, not in a perfect position and facing away from goal, still manages to somehow hook the ball behind him, an on-target effort. That’s superb improvisation, but there’s not enough velocity to beat Simon, who adjusts well and plucks from the air. Portugal’s best move so far.
35 min: It’s all a bit scrappy, tell the truth. Not what we were all promised. Not yet, anyway. “Not to pile on,” begins Casiano Martinez, very promisingly, “but I’m what my cat derisively calls a João Felix Truther, and even I’m puzzled as to how he’s starting over Leão.”
33 min: Yamal slips a diagonal pass infield from the right for Olmo, who rolls across the face of goal, hoping to find Oyarzabal. Cancelo is on point to hook clear, just in time.
31 min: Porro barrels down the right and prepares to cross, only for Mendes to put a stop to his gallop with a sliding tackle. But it comes at the expense of a corner. The set piece is worked right to left, then Pedri chips into the box diagonally. Costa kicks it away from the bottom right, but only towards Olmo, who guides a snap-header across the keeper and wide left. Then the flag goes up for offside anyway.
29 min: Olmo is this close to threading a pass down the middle to release Yamal … but Veiga comes sliding across to intercept just in time. Great play all round.
27 min: The game restarts. “With the appointment of Ruben Amorim, my team AC Milan has just signed Gonçalo Ramos from PSG as the most expensive player to date,” begins Giovanni Cafagna. “And he’s on the bench despite last time he played basically saved the game in tandem with Leao, also AC Milan player also on the bench. Joao Felix, who played on loan for AC Milan last year, for half season, was a pain to watch at San Siro, and is just a shadow of a good player, tonight plays. A manager’s decisions are truly unfathomable.”
25 min … and there’s time for a quick pro-Ronnie chat between friends over bevvies. “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired over Ronaldo hate. He’s been my favourite player since 2006 and I admit he hasn’t gelled well with the national team on this stage for a long time. He’s still an epic talent and and absolute icon of the sport. Soccer fans who still have antipathy or feel the need to make cheap digs at one of the greatest players in history need to go to therapy to examine the root of this insecurity or whatever the case may be for that individual” – Liisa Sletzinger
“Rodri and Nico Williams are probably the two Welsh-est names at the World Cup, and that’s enough for me. Come on, Spain. But, I’m not going to jump on the anti-Ronaldo train. I agree it’s madness that he’s starting, and the ridiculously-good midfield is compromised in order to pick up his slack, but he’s still capable of things no other footballer can do. He definitely has a role, but it should clearly be an impact sub against tiring defenders” – Matt Dony
23 min: Portugal half-clear the free kick, Porro lashes a speculative shot off his own man and out for a goal kick, and that’s drinks. The crowd not happy. Boo! Balls to all y’all! Anyway, Spain offer a big pour of tempranillo, while Portugal serve up, well, port. And a small glass of madeira for Cristiano?
22 min: Baena is clattered cynically by Cancelo out on the left flank. A free kick in a dangerous position. Baena to take it himself. Everyone piles into the Portugal box.
21 min: Now it’s Portugal’s turn to string together a few nerve-settling passes in the midfield. All very patient. Then suddenly Fernandes picks up the pace, one-twoing with Neto before larruping a wild shot miles high and wide. A game of nearly, so far.
19 min: Baena has the opportunity to release Cucurella into the box down the left. He overhits the pass carelessly. Cucurella still manages to reach the ball, right on the byline, but can’t do anything with it. That was some good field position wasted by a heavy touch.
17 min: The corner sets Spain up to send a couple of crosses into the mixer from both flanks. Portugal hold their shape, and their nerve, but they’re beginning to be pushed back.
16 min: Fernandes, deep on the left, wedges a lovely pass infield that nearly releases Mendes. Not quite, but good try. Spain counter, and Yamal curls towards the bottom left. Costa saves. The ball breaks to Baena on the left. He curls towards the bottom right … and Costa saves again, tipping acrobatically around the post! Glorious double save, because both of those efforts were heading in.
Updated
15 min: Spain put their foot on the ball and pass it around slowly and calmly for the first time today.
14 min: Baena lashes a harmless long-distance shot miles over. Meanwhile he crowd entertain themselves with a Viking Row. It’s Norway’s world these days. “Martinez is the Dr Death of coaches,” argues Ian Copestake. “He ensured Belgium’s golden generation was merely mayonnaise and is happily achieving those culinary heights with Portugal. It is no surprise.”
12 min: Replays show Rodri having a little tug at Ronaldo’s shirt during that passage of play. You’ve seen them given … but it would have been dreadfully soft. Ronaldo isn’t downhearted, though, and races down the right, cutting into the box and shooting from a tight angle. Simon parries around the post, and Spain deal with the resulting corner. But this is a good response by Portugal to that slow start and the Oyarzabal miss that should have put Spain ahead.
10 min: Felix slides a clever little diagonal pass-cross in from the left, winning a corner. The set piece is swung into the mixer, and Ronaldo goes down. Some very loud appeals. The referee is unmoved and play continues. VAR doesn’t seem up for getting involved.
8 min: Olmo slips a cute pass down the inside-left channel for Oyarzabal, who finds himself clear! He gives the impression of someone who thinks he’s offside, and slightly carelessly drags his shot wide right. But the flag doesn’t go up … and replays suggest he was on. Huge chance missed.
Updated
7 min: Space for Cancelo down the right. He’s got options either side, but decides to go for goal himself. He aims for the top right. Over the bar. Simon got a feathery touch, so that should be a corner, but it’s not awarded.
5 min: Now Mendes allows a simple pass to clank off his foot, then his shin, and out of play for a Spain throw. All a bit scrappy from the men in red. “I feel Portugal’s failure today could be blamed on Ronaldo in entirety, but I feel that would unfair on him,” begins Farhan. “But I do think Gonzalo Ramos should have started. The problem runs deeper than just Ronaldo. I think Martinez as a manager should be taking some slack here. Joao Neves and Vitinha being PSG’s midfield should have been a class apart from every midfield they have faced in this tournament, which they haven’t necessarily been (except when Uzbekistan came around). Unless Vitinha and Neves match Pedri and Rodri (and whoever subs in) in the middle, Portugal will likely lose this game. We also cannot discount the fact that each of Spain’s forwards can be (more than) decent midfielders too.”
3 min: Oyarzabal has a whack from distance. Straight at Costa. Then a ball out from the back is snaffled by Yamal, though nothing comes of it. Portugal looking a little bit nervous in these (very) early exchanges.
2 min: Yamal clips Neves late. On the touchline, Roberto Martinez, perhaps considering the possibility of this being his last match as Portugal manager, rants and raves. The ref is not fussed. “I have not been following Portugal much but just looking at that team, it looks a little like an England team from a few years ago,” suggests Brendan Large. “It looks like Martinez has gone for the most talented players in a team that doesn’t look like it will work. Joao Felix (everyone knows about the challenges with Ronaldo) is an amazing player but what is he doing in that team? Might be a fun watch though.”
1 min: Simon’s poor pass out from the back is intercepted, and Neto has the chance to release Fernandes down the right. Fortunately for the Spain keeper, the pass is overhit. Goal kick.
Spain get the ball rolling. A wonderful atmosphere inside the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
The teams are out! Portugal are the designated home side, so they’re in their first-choice red. Spain are therefore wearing a change strip of white. And very nice everyone looks as well. A picture of the beloved Diogo Jota up on the big screen as Portugal sing their anthem. Spain don’t sing theirs, but then they can’t: there are no words. An equally passionate moment nonetheless. In a couple of shakes, we’ll be off. “I hope Rafa Lẽao gets more playing time today!” writes Liisa Sletzinger. “I feel I haven’t heard him get much or any buzz? (In the mainstream outlets and ad hoc nature through which I get my daily dose of analyses, to be fair.) I trust a stir in my soul when I feel one though, and in my eyes he’s added a jolt of dynamism and strength matched with skill on the ball, flourish without needless drama, and finishing capability in each match he’s been brought on as a sub.”
Pre-match postbag: CR7 and POTUS fanclub special!!! “I’m in Portugal fanzone in Lisboa. Its hot. And the drinks are expensive for here. Bruno cannot play with Ronaldo. Hopefully it’s the last we see of this egomaniac” – Tim Stappard
“My partner and I are currently spending a week driving through Spain on our way to the Algarve to spend a week with family. I can’t bear the thought of being in Portugal with the preening one still involved, so Spain have to get it done tonight for all our sakes. I suspect that if they do we won’t get any sleep tonight, given the number of very well populated tapas bars around us, but it will be a price worth paying” – Richard Hirst
“You say that this will be Ronaldo’s last game for Portugal if they lose here but he’s a friend of Trump, isn’t he, so perhaps we shouldn’t presume anything in case the President puts in a word before the relevant quarter final” – David Wall
“Fox is completely ignoring Trump’s interference in the Balogan decision. Trump TV agitprop even seeps into their sports coverage” – Mary Waltz
The winner of this tie will face either USA or Belgium on Friday in Inglewood, California. You may have heard a thing or two about today’s other game.
The great pennant showdown. Spain have managed to pull off a feat previously considered almost impossible, by producing a pennant with an even more boring design than England’s. Not sure what we’ll do should the two teams meet in the final. Maybe just quietly drop this feature. Probably for the best all round.
Portugal’s is rather nice, though! This isn’t the one Ronaldo will be handing over to Rodri today, they didn’t take a photo of that, but you get the gist. One of the great recognisable crests. A couple of points docked for lack of edge-cushioning tassels; a sudden gust of wind at the coin toss and you could have someone’s eye out with that.
As briefly touched upon in the preamble, this could be the last time we’ll see Cristiano Ronaldo on the biggest stage of all. “This will be my last World Cup,” the 41-year old living legend announced yesterday, though he quickly demonstrated that he’s not given up raging against the dying of the light quite yet: “God willing tomorrow is not my last game.”
All the Golden Boot talk is currently of Mbappé and Messi, Haaland and Dembélé, Bellingham and Kane. In the meantime, Mikel Oyarzabal modestly goes about his business. Some pre-match reading courtesy of the Good Doctor.
Spain are in If It Ain’t Broke mode. No changes to their starting XI having swept aside Austria.
Cristiano Ronaldo starts and will captain Portugal as usual, despite having been substituted during the 2-1 win over Croatia. Portugal make one change: João Félix comes into the attack at the expense of Rafael Leão, who drops to the bench.
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The teams
Portugal: Costa, Joao Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Pedro Neto, Fernandes, Joao Felix, Ronaldo.
Subs: Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Nelson Semedo, Araujo, Dalot, Inacio, Samu, Matheus Luiz, Silva, Ruben Neves, Goncalo Ramos, Trincao, Leao, Goncalo Guedes, Francisco Conceicao.
Spain: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Pedri, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal.
Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, Iglesias.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (England).
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This is Spain’s story so far. Cape Verde stunned everyone – not for the last time – by holding one of the pre-tournament favourites to an opening draw. Spain righted the ship with an easy victory over Saudi Arabia, before knocking out Uruguay without too much fuss. Spain topped Group H, pretty much as expected after all.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 2 | Cape Verde | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Uruguay | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | -4 | 2 |
Then against Austria, a display of football worthy of Spain during their imperial phase of the late 2000s, early 2010s. Mikel Oyarzabal passing the ball into the corner, so easy on the eye.
Here’s how Portugal have done so far. They weren’t particularly impressive in Group K, draws with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia sandwiching a five-goal rout of a poor Uzbekistan side. But second place was comfortable enough, and Cristiano Ronaldo ended a 10-game sequence of failing to score an international goal, so enough positive boxes were ticked.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colombia | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 2 | Portugal | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | Congo DR | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 3 | -9 | 0 |
Then came the 2-1 thriller with Croatia. The Croats came on strong at the end, yet it was Portugal who got the late winner. Throw in some high-stakes VAR drama at both ends, and four disallowed goals, and it was one of the games of the tournament, unquestionably.
Reacquaint yourself with tonight’s teams. Here’s how it all looked at the start.
Preamble
The first time Spain played Portugal in a competitive fixture, they beat their Iberian neighbours 9-0. Given that happened in 1934, it’s not that instructive a result, other than a harbinger of Spanish dominance over the long haul: Spain lead by 17 wins to six, or five to one in competitive fixtures. But Portugal won the most recent meaningful showdown, the 2025 Nations League final on penalties, having twice come from behind. So history can teach us everything, or the sum total of nothing, depending on how much weight you attach to it.
There’s probably more useful data in the here and now. Spain started slowly at this World Cup, though that opening draw with Cape Verde doesn’t look so poor in retrospect. But they’re picking up speed, and dazzled in their last match, passing Austria to death. Portugal by contrast haven’t really got going at all: the old trooper Cristiano Ronaldo is weighing them down, some will argue, and yet he’s scored three very useful goals to this point. People on both sides of the argument may as well make peace with it, because it is what it is.
All of which is a long-winded way of saying: Spain go into this match as favourites, when taking both history and current form into the equation … and yet Portugal have that recent Nations League win as succour, and it’s not as though they’re not jam-packed with talent themselves. Throw in the potential swansong for the aforementioned Ronaldo, and this has the makings of a thriller. Excitement and fun, please! Kick-off in Dallas is at 2pm local, 3pm EDT, 8pm BST and 5am AEST. It’s on!
