Chapter 614: World Cup Debut
On June 14, the World Cup kicked off with the host nation Russia facing Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium. Russia triumphed with a 5-0 victory, securing a strong start.
The next day, the Portuguese national team had their first match.
Portugal's match was in the evening of the second matchday at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi.
On the afternoon of June 15, the Portuguese national team departed from their hotel to the Fisht Olympic Stadium to acclimatize to the venue. Their first group stage opponent was Spain.
Spain is a formidable team, having won the European Championship in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010. Although they didn't win in 2014 and 2016 and are currently ranked only tenth in the world, their strength remains undeniable.
Facing such a strong opponent in their first match put a lot of pressure on Portugal.
The outcome of the first match is always highly anticipated, as there is a saying that a good start is crucial. Therefore, the result of this first game is very significant for the team.
Especially since Portugal was eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup four years ago, many of the Portuguese players had unpleasant memories, making them quite nervous.
...
The match was about to begin, with Portugal getting the opening kick. Both teams lined up according to their formations, ready for the game.
For this match, Santos deployed a 4-4-2 formation. The lineup included goalkeeper Patricio, four defenders Cedric, Pepe, Fonte, and Guerreiro; midfielders Bruno, Moutinho, William Carvalho, and Bernardo Silva in a parallel setup, with Bruno on the right midfield; and forwards Ronaldo and Guedes.
Bruno knew what he had to do—it was a daunting task, but he was determined to try.
He wasn't sure if his teammates shared his confidence, making this first match particularly important.
"The match between Portugal and Spain is about to begin. This is their first match in this World Cup, and it's Bruno's World Cup debut."
The referee stood outside the center circle, checked his watch, and blew the whistle to start the match.
Ronaldo passed the ball to Bruno. Bruno didn't immediately pass it but turned and dribbled backward before passing it.
After passing the ball, he quickly ran to another spot, signaling for the ball from his teammates.
Meanwhile, Spanish players quickly surrounded him.
The Spaniards knew Bruno's importance to the Portuguese team; neutralizing him would significantly reduce Portugal's threat.
But marking Bruno tightly was no easy task.
...
The ball was passed to Bruno, who feigned a move to the left, causing the opponent to shift prematurely. He then quickly turned and moved the ball to his right, easily bypassing the defender.
Bruno advanced into Spain's half and, facing pressure from the defenders, passed the ball to Moutinho. After passing, he swiftly moved forward, signaling for Moutinho to pass it back.
Moutinho, once the core of Portugal's midfield, did not hesitate and passed the ball back to Bruno.
Completing the one-two, Bruno continued to advance, reaching the edge of Spain's penalty area.
"Bruno starts with a very threatening attack!" the commentator exclaimed.
Everyone knew how formidable Bruno was, and the Spanish players dared not be complacent. Seeing Bruno at the edge of the penalty area, two defenders rushed to block his shot.
Bruno, having a keen sense for shooting and a strong desire to score, waited for this moment. As the defenders closed in, he nudged the ball through them to Ronaldo in the box.
Ronaldo, surprised by the ball's arrival, hurriedly turned and shot straight at De Gea, Spain's goalkeeper.
...
Although this attack didn't result in a goal, Bruno had already demonstrated to his World Cup opponents: marking him would be a worldwide challenge.
With Bruno leading, Portugal launched one attack after another on Spain. The Spaniards were taken aback by their opponent's toughness.
Soon, Portugal mounted another offensive. Bruno received the ball, controlled it beautifully, and spun to pass it to the left wing.
Bernardo Silva was already sprinting forward.
In the club, they were rivals; in the national team, they were the best partners.
Nacho signaled for Koke to challenge Silva while he marked the advancing Guerreiro.
Nacho knew Guerreiro's speed well from their encounters in the Champions League last season.
Sure enough, Silva passed the ball to the fast-approaching Guerreiro.
Nacho moved up to challenge but remained cautious, aware of Guerreiro's speed and skill.
...
Guerreiro dribbled towards Nacho.
Just as they were about to clash, Nacho struck.
However, Guerreiro didn't intend to bypass him but suddenly stopped and pulled the ball back.
Nacho, prepared, blocked his path, but Guerreiro passed the ball back to Moutinho, who instantly switched the play with a long pass to the right, to Bruno.
"Beautiful pass! Moutinho!" exclaimed the Portuguese commentator.
"Moutinho, our number four, with a wonderful long ball," praised another Portuguese commentator.
Once the core of Portugal's midfield, Moutinho had lost his spot to Bruno's rise but remained a key player for Monaco.
His recent performance for Monaco earned him a starting spot in this crucial match against Spain.
...
Bruno, moving quickly, controlled the ball, facing Alba. He feigned a move, causing Alba to react.
Alba intercepted but saw Bruno swiftly regain control, pulling the ball back.
The delay allowed Alba to block Bruno's path again.
"Great defense by Alba," praised the Spanish commentator.
But Bruno skillfully shielded the ball and swept it into the box with his left foot.
In the box, Ramos marked Ronaldo closely, preventing a shot.
At that moment, a red-shirted player intercepted the ball, passing it back to the edge of the box.
Busquets slid to intercept, but before he could, another player struck the ball with a powerful shot.
...
The ball soared towards the goal. De Gea leaped to punch it away, but it landed in front of Ronaldo and Ramos.
Both were momentarily stunned. Reacting quickly, Ronaldo used his body to shield Ramos and swept the ball into the net, lifting the white net high.
The chaotic scene in the box caused a brief silence, then an eruption of cheers as the ball hit the net.
At the Fisht Olympic Stadium, Portugal led Spain 1-0 just one minute and thirty-three seconds into the match, thanks to Ronaldo's strike.
They achieved a dream start no one anticipated.
(END CHAPTER)
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