'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Portugal are set to play Uruguay at the Lusail Stadium on Monday in the group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Portugal come into this game on the back of a 3-2 win over Otto Addo's Ghana in their most recent group-stage game. Goals from star forward Cristiano Ronaldo, Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix and AC Milan winger Rafael Leao secured the win for Fernando Santos' Portugal. Al-Sadd attacker Andre Ayew and Red Star Belgrade winger Osman Bukari scored the goals for Ghana.
Uruguay, on the other hand, drew 0-0 against Paulo Bento's South Korea in their most recent group game. A drab match saw Uruguay register only one shot on target, with South Korea failing to match that.
Trending
Portugal vs Uruguay Head-to-Head Stats
In three head-to-head encounters between the two sides, Portugal have won one game, lost one and drawn one.
Portugal form guide: W-W-L-W-L
Uruguay form guide: D-W-L-W-D
Portugal vs Uruguay: Numbers you need to know before their 2022 FIFA World Cup encounter
Portugal boast one of the best squads in the competition, but questions have arisen in recent years about the suitability of Fernando Santos to lead this side. Portugal's style of football under Santos has come under intense scrutiny.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's greatest-ever footballer, is currently a free agent following a controversial exit from Manchester United. The 37-year-old endured a poor first half of the season with the Old Trafford outfit, with his actions off the field attracting more attention than his performances on it. He has made just four Premier League starts, scoring one goal.
Rafael Leao, on the other hand, is considered a pivotal part of Portugal's future. The 23-year-old is regarded as one of the best young forwards in the world and was arguably the best player in Serie A last season. This season for AC Milan, Leao has made 10 goal contributions in 12 league starts.
Uruguay's attacking options include Edinson Cavani, Darwin Nunez and Luis Suarez. However, Suarez and Cavani are both past their prime, with the onus now on Nunez to carry the Uruguayan attack. The 23-year-old made a big-money move to Liverpool last summer and made a chaotic start to his spell in England. He has improved and settled in recent games, and in seven league starts, Nunez has seven goal contributions.
Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri started for Uruguay against South Korea. It is evident that Pellistri is highly rated by his national team management, although the same cannot be said at club level. The 20-year-old is yet to make an appearance this season for Manchester United.
Portugal have the tools to beat most teams in the competition. However, Uruguay are known to make games difficult for their opposition, and this will certainly be an interesting contest.
