Roberto Martínez says his full consideration stays targeted on Portugal’s remaining Group Ok match towards Colombia, slightly than who he’ll face within the World Cup finals.
Portugal will face Colombia on the Miami Stadium within the battle for prime spot of their group, with Nestor Lorenzo’s facet having already secured a spot within the final 32 with two wins from two matches.
If Colombia can keep away from defeat, they may end first and face among the finest third-place groups in both Teams D, E, I or L. As issues stand, that might be Croatia.
Nevertheless, Portugal should win to take over the lead from their opponents, and they’ll go into the match stuffed with confidence after defeating debutant Uzbekistan 5-0.
Portugal has misplaced simply two of their final 17 group matches on the World Cup (W9 D6), shedding 4-0 to Germany in MD1 in 2014 and 2-1 to South Korea in MD3 in 2022.
Nevertheless, they’ve performed towards the undefeated Colombian staff within the final three matches of the World Cup towards UEFA groups, whereas additionally being one of many seven groups to win the primary two matches on this 12 months’s match.
“The main focus is on successful the sport and never eager about the subsequent opponent,” Martinez stated Friday.
“If you wish to do effectively within the match, it’s a must to beat anybody and everybody.
“In a match just like the World Cup, there isn’t any single right path or place. What’s vital is that we play at our greatest, and that’s solely doable by successful.”
Able to be Portugal once more #VaiDarPortugal | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Ry2IoJGIAR
— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) June 26, 2026
The second-placed staff of their group will face Group L’s second-placed staff, at the moment Ghana, earlier than their remaining recreation towards fellow cheerleaders Croatia.
And if Portugal fail to succeed in the highest spot, they may possible remorse their first-round draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, regardless of their glorious response within the final recreation towards Uzbekistan.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, turning into the primary participant in historical past to attain in six World Cups, and is now aiming to develop into the primary participant to attain in consecutive World Cups since MD2 in 2018.
“We need to construct on what we did within the second leg and proceed to enhance on the areas we have to enhance,” Martinez added.
“The sport towards Colombia is an important recreation for us to judge our degree. We need to win and provides continuity to the work we’re doing.
“I believe the staff discovered an excellent stability. Our efficiency within the second recreation gave us lots of confidence and power to consider in every little thing we do.”
“The staff is rising. We aren’t a staff that loses its strengths, however slightly a staff that retains bettering. We’ve to point out our high quality and return to Portugal once more.”
However Martínez admitted Colombia will probably be a tricky problem for his staff to beat, highlighting Colombia’s spectacular assault forward of the first-ever assembly between the 2 nations on the World Cup.
“Colombia is a whole staff,” Martinez stated. “They actually consider in what they’re doing. There’s continuity within the coach’s method and readability of concepts.
“It isn’t about which gamers are on the sphere, however slightly the staff’s general recreation plan.
“They’ve gamers like (Juan Fernando) Quintero and James Rodriguez in midfield, however in addition they have key gamers in transition like Luis Diaz and Luis Suarez.”
