Portugal World Cup 2018 team guide: tactics, key players and expert predictions

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European Champions have a favourable draw and excellent attacking options but an ageing defence could let them down

This article is part of the Guardian’s 2018 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who have qualified for Russia. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 14 June.

Portugal will play this year’s World Cup as European champions, so any dark horse tag has disappeared, but this also means the inferiority complex that has often conditioned the team has been overthrown. The head coach, Fernando Santos, refuses to speak of his team as favourites for the tournament, although he does suggest the ambition is the same as at Euro 2016.

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from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/31/portugal-world-cup-2018-team-guide-tactics-key-players-and-expert-predictions

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