Portugal, Ronaldo being overlooked

SOCHI, Russia — They’re the reigning champions of Europe and have possibly the best player in the world.

Yet there seems to be little talk about Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo heading into Friday’s muchanticipated World Cup match against neighboring Spain in Group B.

In a way, it’s understood. Spain dominated the headlines this week with the chaos surrounding its coaching situation, to the point that a large number of questions on Thursday at Portugal’s news conference involved their opponent’s decision to replace coach Julen Lopetegui with Fernando Hierro days before the game. Secondary was the fact this is the first match between the Iberian neighbors since 2012.

“We’re focused, we’re united, and I don’t think we’re Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo shares a smile with teammates during practice Thursday in Sochi, Russia, ahead of their opening World Cup match against Spain on Friday.

concerned with anything else,” Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho said. “We have to focus on the action of the team and what we can do to attain our goal in this World Cup. We’re not really looking at what is happening with other teams.”

Perhaps a bit more respect should be paid to Portugal based on its most-recent major tournament. The team won the 2016 European

Championship, thanks to a magical run through the knockout stage led by Ronaldo.

Spain, Germany, Brazil and France are all talked about as potential winners of this tournament. Rarely is Portugal mentioned, yet the players seem to understand their place in the hierarchy of contenders.

“The favorites are the ones you have just listed,” Moutinho said. “Portugal is, I think, among the candidates to be able to take this cup home. It’s normal to have other favorites with all they’ve obtained, all they’ve achieved. Of course you have favorites. We are European champions, but that doesn’t give us the right to be favorites.”

Any team that has the talent of Ronaldo has to be considered a threat, even though the discussion about what the Real Madrid forward could do on this stage has been sidetracked by talk of what awaits in his club career. After winning his third straight Champions League title, Ronaldo hinted that perhaps his time at Real Madrid was at an end.

“He’s an extraordinary captain. He’s an extraordinary player,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. “He’s very positive and a decisive influence as the captain of the team, whether it be on the pitch or off the pitch or in practice. He’s an important figure.”