Portugal will face Poland on Matchday 3 of the UEFA Nations League, with the Portuguese side aiming to maintain their momentum after securing two wins in their first two matches. Meanwhile, Poland, currently third in the group, will be looking to climb up the standings. However, all eyes will be on whether Cristiano Ronaldo will feature in the game.
The Al Nassr star started in Portugal’s opener against Croatia, but head coach Roberto Martinez opted to rest him by placing him on the bench in their win over Scotland. With this crucial matchup against a strong opponent like Poland, Cristiano Ronaldo will play for Portugal from the start.
Portugal enters the game as the favorite, but they cannot afford to underestimate Poland, who will be starting their all-time leading scorer, Robert Lewandowski (84). The striker has been in great form this season with both his national team and Barcelona, netting 13 goals in 13 matches in 2024-25 season.
On the other hand, Ronaldo will look to continue his scoring streak in the UEFA Nations League, having already found the back of the net in both of Portugal’s matches so far. He scored one goal in the 2-1 victory against Croatia and added another in the 2-1 win over Scotland.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates after scoring Portugal’s second goal during the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A1 match between Portugal and Scotland at Estadio da Luz on September 8, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Cristiano Ronaldo’ quest to extend his record
With 132 goals in 214 matches with Portugal national team, Ronaldo’s looking forward to extend his milestone as the all-time leading scorer in men’s international soccer.
see also
Poland vs Portugal: Where and how to watch live 2024/2025 UEFA Nations League
He currently tops the list, ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who has 109 goals in 188 caps (23-goal difference), and retired Iranian legend Ali Daei, who scored 108 goals in 148 matches.
Portugal confirmed lineup against Poland
Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes; Pedro Neto, Rafael Leao, Cristiano Ronaldo.
