Portugal and Croatia will kick off their 2024/25 UEFA Nations League campaigns at the Estádio da Luz on Thursday night in a highly anticipated clash between two of the tournament’s heavyweights.
Both sides have been drawn into League A Group 1, alongside Poland and Scotland, and will be looking to secure vital points from this opening fixture.
Portugal, fresh off a disappointing quarter-final exit at Euro 2024, where they fell to France in a penalty shootout, are eager to rebound and assert their dominance in the Nations League.
The Selecao, who won the Nations League in 2019, failed to make it to the finals last time around after finishing second to Spain in their group. With the departure of veteran defender Pepe, the onus is now on Cristiano Ronaldo to lead the team.
Despite being 39, Ronaldo remains a key figure, and new manager Roberto Martinez has included him in the squad alongside exciting young talents like Geovany Quenda, Renato Veiga, and Tiago Santos.
Portugal’s form has been mixed, with three wins, one loss, and two draws in their last six matches. However, they will be confident playing at home, where they have generally performed well.
Croatia, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back from their Euro 2024 disappointment, where they exited the tournament in the group stages after a late defeat to Italy.
Despite the setback, Croatia’s long-serving coach Zlatko Dalic has retained the faith of the Croatian Football Federation.
The team, led by the evergreen Luka Modric, aims to build on their runner-up finish in the 2023 Nations League.
Croatia’s recent form shows three wins, one loss, and two draws, suggesting they are in decent shape but may need to improve their consistency to challenge for top honors this season.
Manager Roberto Martinez has made several changes to the squad. Notable absentees include Joao Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, and Francisco Conceicao, while Pedro Goncalves, Francisco Trincao, and goalkeeper Rui Silva return. Youngsters Geovany Quenda and Renato Veiga have been called up for the first time. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to lead the attack as captain.
Possible Starting Lineup: Costa, Diogo Dalot, Rueben Dias, A. Silva, Nuno Mendes, Palhinha, Vitinha, Bernado Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao and Cristiano Ronaldo
Croatia will be without key players such as Domagoj Vida and Marcelo Brozovic, with Brozovic retiring from international football. Ivan Perisic remains in the squad despite being without a club. The team is also dealing with injuries to Lovro Majer, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, and Duje Caleta-Car, which may lead to some defensive reshuffling.
Ivan Perisic remains in the squad despite being without a club. The team is also dealing with injuries to Lovro Majer, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, and Duje Caleta-Car, which may lead to some defensive reshuffling.
Possible Starting Lineup: Livakovic Pongracic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Sosa Modric, L. Sucic, Kovacic, Pasalic, Kramaric, Ivanusec.
The match promises to deliver high-intensity football and could set the tone for their journey in this season’s competition.
