Portugal enter this year’s World Cup as defending European champions, but a few things about the national team inspire any sort of confidence. Like for the last decade, all their hopes will rest on Ronaldo and a little help from the support cast.
Pablo takes a glance at his wristwatch. The short hour hand is approaching number ten and beginning to close in on its second revolution. Steam rises from the green surface. The light rays, that left their stars millennia ago, illuminate through the open roof of Fisht Olympic Stadium. The audience has taken their seats, readying themselves for the upcoming staging. The stadium breathes in a spectrum of colours, resembling an organism about to burst to life. Nigerians, Peruvians, Finns, Poles, Indians and Filipinos.
The props include just two propped-up fishnets and twenty symmetrical lines. Instead of the milieu, the occasion is sanctified to 22 men and the drama they are can compose with a single inflated sphere. Magistas, Gyro Gearlooses, Jacks of All Trades, Prodigal Sons, Boxers, Beagle Boys, Napoleons, Cains and Abels. They’re all there. And muse is about to let them loose. It’s Portugal against Spain. Half of the world has simultaneously lighted up their black mirrors. Magic floats in the air. For the next 105 minutes, it is virtually impossible to be invested in anything besides this matchup.
From the west of Iberia, however, an incontrovertible nervousness arises. Fear of the 2014 FIFA World Cup rerun is present. A fear that A Seleção das Quinas sinks to a third place in their respective group for the third consecutive time in major tournaments. But why? Outwardly everything seems to be rotating as they should. European championship from France, a statistically undefeated parade from the FIFA Confederations Cup, convincing walk-through in last year’s World Cup qualifiers and third-place in the FIFA World Rankings (as of March 2018).