Portugal - Group G
Much like Uruguay, Portugal will have an anxious wait to see if their best player is healthy enough to play. Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player who could possibly be considered better than Lionel Messi. Ronaldo, whose preening vanity can be exceptionally grating, particularly in comparison to the “humble” Messi, is nearly everything that his Argentinian counterpart is, plus 9 inches taller, making him an aerial threat that Messi will never be. Should he miss the cup, the Portuguese would be left with a solid but unremarkable team…and the U.S. might have a prayer.
Players to watch: If not Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese do have his chief imitator in Nani. Also, with or without Ronaldo, their defense will be rock solid.
Prediction: With Ronaldo, they will probably still lose to Argentina in the semis. Without him, expect them to still get out of the group but lose to Belgium or Russia in the round of 16.
