World Cup
Portugal's dead‑end to Messi‑Ronaldo clash after Colombia stalemate
Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Colombia on Saturday night relegated the Europeans to second place in Group K, placing them on the opposite side of the knockout bracket from Argentina and dimming hopes of a Messi‑Ronaldo duel before the final.
In the first half of the group stage Portugal opened with a goalless stalemate against DR Congo, then surged to a 4-0 victory over Uzbekistan before slipping back into another scoreless tie with Colombia. The win over Uzbekistan, a team that lost all three games and finished with a minus‑9 goal differential, was Portugal’s only clear triumph in the opening round.
DR Congo qualified for the knockout rounds as one of the best third‑place teams, while Colombia, regarded as one of the stronger South American sides, failed to break Portugal’s defence. Neither opponent ranks among the tournament favourites, underscoring Portugal’s struggle to dominate its group.
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Ronaldo, who netted twice against Uzbekistan, was a non‑factor in the two goalless games. Against Colombia he fired three attempts, one on target, and slipped behind the defence in the second half for a one‑on‑one with goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, only to slide the shot wide while being offside. Midfield talent such as Bernardo Silva did not start the last two matches and did not appear as a substitute against Colombia, highlighting Portugal’s lack of rhythm. The final whistle confirmed Portugal’s second‑place finish and a Round of 32 clash with Croatia instead of Ghana. Even if Portugal overcomes Croatia, Euro 2024 champions Spain await in the Round of 16, and the only realistic path for Messi and Ronaldo to meet remains a World Cup final on July 19.