Key events
Here’s a list of Colombia and Portugal’s previous head-to-head matchups …
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Never? Seriously? OK then.
The previous group’s games have now finished. We have 30 minutes until the scheduled kickoff here, and the most important matter of business at this point is simple: With Scotland out, can any other team borrow their supporters?
Did you hear two other games are in progress? Take a look.
Starters and players to watch
Starters
Colombia: Vargas; Machado, Lucumí, Sánchez, S. Arias; J. Arias, Lerma, Puerta; Díaz, Córdoba, Rodríguez
Portugal: Costa; Mendes, Veiga, Dias, Cancelo; Vitinha, R. Neves; Félix, Fernandes, Neto; Ronaldo
Colombia make three changes from the lineup that started the first two games. Cordoba joins the front line in place of Suarez. Both fullbacks have changed – Machado for Mojica, S. Arias for Muñoz. Mojica and Munoz had started both games, but Mojica is on a yellow card.
For Portugal, Ruben Neves replaces João Neves, who started against Uzbekistan. They are not related.
Players to watch
Colombia
Crystal Palace defender Daniel Muñoz is the only player on the team with two goals. He and fellow Palace player Jefferson Lerma have played all 180 minutes so far, but Muñoz will be on the bench at the outset here.
James Rodríguez may no longer be at the same level as he was in 2014, when he won the Golden Boot and moved on to Real Madrid, but the Minnesota United player is more than holding his own at age 34.
Bayern Munich’s Luis Díaz scored a vital goal in the win over Uzbekistan.
Portugal
We’ve covered that Ronaldo guy.
Goalkeeper Diogo Costa stopped three straight penalties in a shootout in Euro 2024.
Rúben Dias has been a steady force at the back, but fellow Manchester City defender Matheus Nunes has been dealing with lingering injury concerns.
Midfielder Bruno Fernandes is the team’s creative engine and has been fiercely loyal to Ronaldo and to Manchester United.
Preamble
Let’s begin with the tangible stakes …
If Portugal win this game, they win Group K, and Colombia will be second, resulting in these matchups:
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Portugal: July 3 in Kansas City vs. the third-place team in Group L, if that team qualifies. Should the Group L team fall short, they’ll face the third-place team in Group I, which is Senegal.
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Colombia: July 2 in Toronto vs. the runner-up in Group L (England, Ghana or Croatia).
If these teams draw, Colombia will win Group K, and Portugal will be second, so reverse the previous options.
If Colombia win, they win Group K, and Portugal will be second unless DR Congo make up a six-goal gap in goal difference. If that happens, Portugal would be third and would face the Group L winner (England, Ghana or Croatia).
Now let’s talk about the intangible stakes …
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a pretty good career. He’s good enough that kids in the schools where I work, upon finding that I follow this sport, ask me, “Messi or Ronaldo?” The case for Ronaldo has dwindled, but the mere fact that the question is asked is proof that his marketing team have successfully reached fifth-graders. (Or that he is, indeed, a halfway decent player.) He has won eight domestic championships (three in a row with Manchester United, two with Real Madrid, two with Juventus, one with Al-Nassr) and five UEFA Champions League trophies (one with Manchester United, the rest with Real Madrid).
With the national team, he has been the bridge from one Golden Generation to another. The first such generation lost to the Flying McBrides (USA) and lost composure against South Korea in 2002. Ronaldo emerged onto the team after that and help the team reach the Euro 2004 final and the 2006 World Cup semifinals. Portugal went on to more success in the Euros, winning in 2016, and the UEFA Nations League, winning in 2019 and 2025, but further World Cup success has been elusive.
So when Portugal opened this tournament with a draw against DR Congo, Portuguese nerves were certainly frayed. But Ronaldo scored twice in a rout over Uzbekistan, and all seems well … for now?
But this Colombian side will not be an easy out. No team with James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz could be. And it’s worth noting that they beat Uzbekistan.
Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how Ronaldo is getting on (pretty well):
Cristiano Ronaldo savoured the end of a “difficult, dark week” after scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan and becoming the first player to find the net in six World Cups.
Ronaldo and Portugal had come under heavy criticism after a flat draw against Democratic Republic of the Congo. There had been a particular spotlight on the 41-year-old Ronaldo, who had not scored in 10 major tournament games before Tuesday’s fixture. There have long been question marks over his continued ability to lead Portugal on this stage, but after the final whistle he shouted into a television camera: “I’m back, I’m back.”
“God helps those who work hard,” Ronaldo said later. “It was a difficult, dark week; it felt like I’d already retired from football. But I held on as I always do because I believe more in hard work than in football. It was difficult, I have to admit, but we’re back.
“It’s fine because when you think about it, it’s already 23 years I’ve been a professional and whenever things don’t go well it’s: ‘Cristiano, he’s finished, he’s old.’ But well, it was a good response from me and my teammates, which is what we wanted.”
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