Uruguay vs Portugal: Preview and Betting tips - Russia 2018 World Cup

Jan Kruger/Getty Images Europe

Uruguay vs Portugal
7:00pm  June 30th, 2018
Fisht Stadium

This is one game that will confuse bookmakers, there are so many stats in this that negates common sense, Cristiano Ronaldo up against the stingiest defence in the world, need you be told Uruguay haven’t conceded in this calendar year?

The Atletico Madrid pair of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez have brought their club’s tight back policy to the national spheres and are keeping it locked down, shutting out attackers, how will it go against the world best attacker?

Cristiano Ronaldo lit up the World Cup at his first time of asking in Russia, beating everyone else on the pitch to the glory of the day, he made David De Gea look ordinary, beating him with every shot on target and ended the game with a deserved hattrick, he has four now and only behind Harry Kane.

This fixture promises to be entertaining, with three of the most prolific goal scorers in history on parade, in Ronaldo, Suarez and Edison Cavani, you can be sure it will be all shades of quality entertainment.

This ground isn’t new to Ronaldo, he scored his hattrick against Spain on this ground, he will look to do it again.

Uruguay haven’t won the world cup since 1950, Oscar Tabarez, their manager of 12 years and three world cups know this terrain quite well, he led them to the semis and third place finish in 2010 on African soil, the game against Ghana remains fresh in everyone’s memory, now they have to do it against a team that has nail-biting history with knockout rounds.

Outside penalties, Portugal haven’t lost in seventeen matches, a record they will look to extend in Russia, the yellow card infested second round clash against the Netherlands in 2006 stands out as the most frenetic world cup game for Portugal since the days of Eusebio.

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to be regarded as the best ever player to play the game, he must win the world cup to stand a chance of being awarded that title, his place in the history of football is forever secured, but he wants more than a place among the greats, he wants to be on top of the list, it’s a bit of a head to head thing against his closest rival, Lionel Messi who also takes on France on same day albeit earlier, but one thing is key, one game at a time.

Verdict: Uruguay to advance