Bets and odds on Portugal at 2022 FIFA World Cup: Should We Expect the Pyrenees in the Quarterfinals?

One of the favorites of the first winter World Cup is the Portuguese team, the current European champion and the first winner of the Nations League. The Portuguese are in Group H, where they will play against Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea. This article will discuss the Portuguese team and their chances of making the playoffs from Group H.

Portugal failed to win their group in the Nations League, losing by one point to Spain. The fate was decided only in the sixth round in Braga. The Portuguese gave the meeting to Spain, 0:1 - the only goal scored by Morata in 88 minutes. The Portuguese were happy with a draw, so they sat on a nil-nil but still conceded. They trusted the defense against Spain because before that, in the Nations League, they had won three times without scoring and conceded twice in five games. Just before the World Cup, Portugal got another shutout over Nigeria, 4:0.

Ghana, by the standards of Africa, is a strong team. However, it is hardly an epithet for them at the World Cup. Ghana lost 1:2 to the Nigerians, whom Portugal defeated the other day. After that, they also fell to the Brazilians 3:0. That is, when the national team meets a powerful opponent, they have problems with performance. 

Our pick: W1 to Nil for 1.90 on bet365.

This one will be one of the central matches of the entire group stage. The Portuguese team is one of the favorites, while the Uruguayans may well count on the quarterfinals or even the semifinals. A lot depends on whether the South Americans can lead the group. This meeting will be decisive in the fight for first place, so the price of a mistake is huge, and both will be very careful.

Again, the Portuguese have a strong defense and regularly play to nil in friendlies and official matches. But the same can be said about the Uruguayan team. In the last seven games, they conceded only once in a friendly against Iran, while Peru, Chile, Mexico, the United States, Panama, and Canada failed to score against the Uruguayans. There are many signs that Portugal vs Uruguay has a good chance of being unproductive. 

Our pick: TU (2.5) for 1.65 on betway.

South Koreans also regularly play to nil. In November, the Asians beat Iceland in a friendly, 1:0. Before that, they got two shutouts over China, Hong Kong, and Cameroon. The Tigers will not play openly with Portugal, and even if they are the first to concede, they will continue to bend their line. Recall that the South Koreans are an experienced team with a good lineup.

If in Portugal vs Ghana we expect a confident W1 to nil, and in the Pyrenees vs the Uruguayans - a draw, in this game, we believe that the higher class of the Portuguese team will allow them to win. 

Our pick: W2 & TU (3.5) for 2.15 on 1xbet.

87% probability that the Portuguese national team will reach the playoffs. They are stronger than South Korea and Ghana, and only Uruguay can compete with them, so the bookmakers' odds are logical. Before the World Cup, it isn't easy to imagine that the playoffs would occur without their participation.

The most striking player of the Portuguese national team is still Cristiano Ronaldo. True, R7, according to bookmakers, is not as good as before. The team has been the strongest squad over the recent decades, which means they have a real chance for the trophy. In the Ballon d'Or race, Ronaldo ranks only eighth (21.00 on bet365), behind Messi, Neymar, Mbappe, Vinicius, Kane, De Bruyne, and Benzema. And on the top scorer list, R7 is sixth (21.00 on betway) behind Kane, Mbappe, Messi, Neymar, and Benzema.

Portugal's goalkeeper Rui Patricio also stands out (12.00 on betking). He ranks seventh on the Golden Gloves list behind goalkeepers from Brazil, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, and Argentina. We've already noted that the Portuguese regularly play to nil, and the prominent credit goes to Patricio. So much of winning the trophy depends on how far the Portuguese go in the World Cup standings.

For the Portuguese, it is crucial to top their group. The first team in Group H will play with the second in Group G and vice versa. The likely winner of Group G in Brazil is one of the teams that can defeat the Portuguese. The second place in Group G may go to the Serbs and the Swiss, where the Portuguese chances in the quarterfinals will grow. We think they will beat the Uruguayans in Group H, and if so, we are waiting for Ronaldo's team in the quarterfinals.