WORLD CUP: Cristiano Ronaldo May Set A New Record . . . Sanches, Jota, Others Benched By Injury
2 min read
compiled by Ben Goodnews
Cristiano Ronaldo could set a new World Cup record if he finds the net for Portugal in their opening Group H clash with Ghana on Thursday.
Currently part of an exclusive club of four men to score at four finals, Ronaldo could stand alone as the only player to net at five consecutive events with a goal in the Middle East.
A win in the most famous competition of all is the only jewel missing from the attacking star’s crown and his Portuguese side begin their quest for a first global title against the Black Stars.
Ghana ran to the brink of the last four in 2010 before an agonising penalty shoot-out defeat to Uruguay sent them home.
However, the African outfit have failed to reach those heights since, falling in the group stage in 2014 and missing out on qualification in 2018.
While Renato Sanches and Diogo Jota both missed out on Fernando Santos’s 26-man final squad through injury, the Portugal boss still has a plethora of famous faces under his wing in Qatar.
Joining Ronaldo among the ranks are Joao Cancelo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Rafael Leao, to name just four.
Ronaldo missed the friendly win over Nigeria on Thursday with gastroenteritis but was back in training by Saturday and is expected to take centre stage as Portugal open their campaign.
Ghana boss Otto Addo can call on Athletic Bilbao’s Inaki Williams and Mohammed Kudus of Ajax in attack, along with Premier League names such as Daniel Amartey, Tariq Lamptey, Jordan Ayew and Mohammed Salisu.
