It’s a classic David versus Goliath clash as Uzbekistan take on Portugal in Group K of the 2026 World Cup, with both sides in urgent need of a victory to secure progression to the next stage of the tournament.
Former Bayern Munich full-back João Cancelo has been named in the starting lineup for Portugal, who enter the match as overwhelming favourites. He is joined in the first eleven by Renato Veiga, the former Augsburg loanee, who will look to make an impact in midfield.
All eyes, however, are expected to be on Cristiano Ronaldo. While Lionel Messi has commanded much of the World Cup spotlight so far, the Portugal captain now has an opportunity to remind fans of his enduring class and influence on the global stage.
As anticipation builds, here are the confirmed starting lineups for both nations:
Portugal (4-3-3): Costa - Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes - Vitinha, J. Neves, Fernandes - Neto, Ronaldo, Félix
Uzbekistan (3-4-2-1): Nematov - Khusanov, Ashurmatov, Abdullaev - Karimov, Khamrobekov, Shukurov, Nasrullaev - Fayzullaev, Ganiev - Shomurodov
The match is expected to be a thrilling contest, with Portugal aiming to assert their dominance and Uzbekistan hoping to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
-
FIFA World Cup, Ghana hold England to goalless draw: Stats
-
BTS star Jungkook's stalker faces deportation from South Korea; woman handed a suspended prison sentence
-
'So people do not forget': Cristiano Ronaldo silences critics with just two words after historic Portugal win
-
Kylian Mbappe’s 100th France Cap: How His Numbers Compare with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
-
Manchester United join race to sign ex-Liverpool winger Harry Wilson
