Portugal hope to ‘make most of the strengths’

Portugal's hopes of challenging for a first World Cup title will likely be heavily dictated by how well they fare in an accessible group where their main rivals are Uruguay, the country that dumped them out in the last 16 four years ago.

The recent record for Portugal at the World Cup makes for sorry reading, with just a combined three wins in three appearances since reaching the semi-finals in 2006.

And while they boast international football's record goalscorer in Cristiano Ronaldo, questions abound as to whether the 37-year-old should still be the team's primary option in attack.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has started on the bench more often than not for Manchester United this season, and has yet to score in the knockout phase at a World Cup.

Ronaldo and coach Fernando Santos were criticised after Portugal missed out on a place in the Nations League finals following a home loss to neighbours Spain in September.

With a wealth of talent and Ronaldo leading the way for almost two decades now, Portugal belong among the world's best teams but have a reputation as underachievers despite winning Euro 2016 and the Nations League three years later.

"We definitely are a generation with a lot of talent, but other teams have talent, too," Manchester City defender Ruben Dias told the FIFA website.

"You can have the best players in the competition, but if you don't know how to make the most of the strengths of each player, then you won't be able to operate properly as a team. People will see you as just another ordinary team."

Beaten by a Zinedine Zidane penalty in the last four of the 2006 World Cup, Portugal have not gone beyond the last 16 since. They risk facing Brazil at that stage in Qatar if they fail to top Group H above Uruguay, South Korea and Ghana.