Ronaldo faces the most formidable dark horse of the World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal face a major challenge in the form of Colombia. This team has emerged as the most formidable dark horse of the 2026 World Cup, with a squad of stars in top form.

Colombia presents a tough challenge for Ronaldo and his teammates.

The clash between Portugal and Colombia is considered the most anticipated match in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup . The spotlight is on Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez. But if Colombia wants to spring a surprise, they will likely continue to place their faith in the in-form duo of Daniel Munoz and Jefferson Lerma.

Under coach Nestor Lorenzo, Munoz and Lerma became the cornerstone of Colombia's playing style, similar to their roles at Crystal Palace. While James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz, and Luis Suarez handled creativity and goalscoring, this duo provided balance, helping the South American team operate effectively.

Munoz had a memorable World Cup. The right-back opened the scoring in Colombia's 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan in their opening match, before scoring the winning goal to help Colombia beat the Democratic Republic of Congo and secure a place in the knockout round.

That impressive form followed a stellar performance with Crystal Palace. There, he was voted Man of the Match and shone in the FA Cup final win against Man City in the 2024/25 season. Last season, he helped Palace win the Community Shield and the Europa League.

In midfield, Lerma consistently demonstrates his value with his abundant energy and strong tackling ability. This midfielder's mobility helps Colombia maintain a solid defensive structure, while also creating opportunities for their attacking stars to showcase their full potential.

James Rodriguez and his teammates could pose a challenge for Portugal.

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In attack, James Rodriguez remains the driving force after scoring 3 goals and providing 7 assists in the World Cup qualifiers, and also winning the Best Player award at the 2024 Copa America. Luis Diaz also maintained his explosive form with 26 goals and 23 assists at club level, while Luis Suarez scored 38 goals for Sporting Lisbon.

With a prolific attack boasting 28 goals in the qualifiers, second only to Argentina, Colombia is considered a formidable "dark horse" of the tournament. However, the South American team still enters the 2026 World Cup without being rated as highly as the other title contenders.

Now, facing Ronaldo's Portugal, Colombia is not only hoping for brilliance from James or Diaz. They are also looking to the Munoz-Lerma duo to continue playing the role of unsung heroes, laying the foundation for "Los Cafeteros" to write another memorable chapter in their journey at the 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, if Ronaldo and his teammates don't beat Colombia, they will finish second in their group. Their opponent in the round of 32 will be the second-placed team in Group L, which includes Ghana, England, or Croatia. Conversely, Colombia will face the third-placed team in Group E/I or L.

The match between Portugal and Colombia will take place at 6:30 AM on June 28th.

Provisional standings in Group K before the final round.

Highlights Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan: In the early hours of June 24th, Portugal delivered an impressive performance against Uzbekistan in their second match of Group K at the 2026 World Cup.

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Source: https://znews.vn/ronaldo-doi-mat-ngua-o-dang-so-nhat-world-cup-post1663604.html