MUST WIN FOR SPAIN, RONALDO’S PORTUGAL IRAN VOWS TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE VS SPAIN

FIFA WORLD CUP SKED June 20 8 p.m. – Portugal vs Morocco* June 21 2 a.m. – Iran vs Spain 8 p.m. – Denmark vs Australia 11 p.m. – France vs Peru * Playing at press time

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia – Cristiano Ronaldo will hone in on Morocco on Wednesday after his stunning hat-trick in Portugal’s World Cup opener, while 2010 winner Spain plays Iran in Group B.

The five-time world player of the year bagged a sublime treble against Spain in the heat of Sochi on Friday in Russia 2018’s stand-out match so far, the 51st of his glittering career.

“I’m very happy, it’s a nice personal record to have, one more in my career,” Ronaldo said on Tuesday.

“For me the most important thing is to emphasize what the team did against one of the favorites to win this World Cup.”

Spain heads to Kazan to face Iran still counting the cost of a chaotic run-up to the tournament during which Julen Lopetegui was sensationally sacked just two days before they opened their campaign.

Former international defender Fernando Hierro is now at the helm but barely a week into the tournament Spain – expected to join Brazil, Germany and France in the latter stages – has endured more drama than it would have wanted or expected.

“It’s a crucial match that will determine our World Cup destiny,” said midfielder Isco of the Iran showdown.

“We want to score from the opening minute, even though that won’t be easy.”

Iran kicked off its campaign with a 1-0 win against Morocco, thanks to a late own goal by Aziz Bouhaddouz, piling the pressure on Spain at Kazan Arena on Wednesday.

Iran sits top of the pile as the only Group B team with a win so far, an achievement that sparked widespread celebrations in the streets of Tehran and elsewhere throughout the Islamic republic.

Coach Carlos Queiroz concedes Iran now faces one of the biggest challenges in its World Cup history, but maintains it can “make the impossible possible”.

“If the game against Morocco was the World Cup final for us, the game against Spain will be the Universe Cup final,” said the former Real Madrid coach.

Iran has never beaten a European side at a World Cup – its only previous victory was a 2-1 win over the United States in France in 1998.

Morocco needs to bounce back from its agonizing defeat against Iran but Portugal and Ronaldo in particular pose Herve Renard’s men a monumental challenge at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

“We lost a battle but we haven’t lost the war. We’re not dead,” said midfielder Faycal Fajr, one of 17 foreign-born players in Morocco’s squad.