Portugal’s star-studded lineup is capable of frightening anyone, but Switzerland has no reason to be alarmed. Who will qualify for the quarterfinals?

There is only one remaining spot in the quarterfinals, so all eyes will be on Lusail Stadium on Tuesday as Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal and Switzerland square off against one another.

Prior to the World Cup, Ronaldo made headlines for all the wrong reasons, but despite being at the centre of a scandal that led to his firing from his club, the drama hasn’t hindered him or Portugal’s performances in the least.

If anything, Ronaldo seems more determined than ever to carry his nation’s dreams as Fernando Santos’ team gets ready to start the elimination rounds in Qatar 2022, which could be Ronaldo’s final game for his country if things go wrong.

Despite the unexpected change of events, the world-famous player showed no signs of intoxication on the field as he scored the game’s opening goal in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Ghana. In the 2-0 victory over Uruguay, Ronaldo tried to rob Bruno Fernandes of a goal for United.

Portugal, who had a perfect start to the World Cup, was shocked by South Korea 2-1 in their most recent match, losing a match they needed to advance to the round of 16.

Despite this, Fernando Santos’ team won Group H with six points, and with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line, they approach this match as favourites. However, this hardy Swiss team is no pushover, and they have the ability to threaten and upset.

The seasoned combatant Switzerland has a history of shocking major tournament favourites time and time again. Most recently, they astonished everyone by defeating the defending World Cup Champions France at the 2020 Euros with a remarkable comeback.

Then, they defeated Italy, who had won Euro 2020, to win their World Cup qualification group. In order to advance from Group A of the Nations League, they defeated Spain and Portugal 2-1 and 1-0, respectively, prior to this competition. Murat Yakin’s team outperformed Serbia and Cameroon in their group to earn a spot in the round of 16, despite narrowly losing to Brazil.

After playing each other twice in their UEFA Nations League group, Portugal and Switzerland will meet again in 2022, with each team winning the home leg.

In a disciplined and determinedly planned defensive performance, the Swiss withstood a bombardment of Portugal attacks. They will be anticipating an equivalent performance. Today, though, the stakes are significantly bigger as the two European nations aim to reach the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.