Neymar Jr.’s star-studded Brazil and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will open their campaigns in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar on Thursday (November 24). Brazil is in Group G, while Portugal is in Group H with Uruguay, South Korea, and their current opponent, Ghana. Brazil last won the World Cup in 2002 and will hope to end its 20-year wait this time in Qatar and extend its tally to six world titles.
Star players to watch out for:
Neymar: Brazilian superstar Neymar, who is chasing Pele’s record of scoring most goals for the Selecao in international matches, will be his country’s biggest hope for the third straight time. He was excellent in 2014, when the tournament was staged in Brazil, but failed to help his side win the title in front of home fans, and in 2018, more than his heroics on the field, his tantrums grabbed the headlines. But this time, which by his own admission could be his last World Cup, Neymar would like to give it all and join the elite list of Brazilian players who have won a FIFA World Cup title.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Arguably one of the greatest footballers of all time, Cristiano will also take the field in Qatar for the first time on Thursday (November 24) and will aim for nothing less than a win. At the age of 37, Ronaldo knows that he might not get another chance to give a shot at the World Cup, and therefore, he would like to inspire his teammates to aim for the big prize. This year, Portugal has some of the most exciting players in their ranks, and it will be interesting to see how they deliver on the biggest stage.
Bengali