Portugal will visit Poland after achieving back-to-back victories, placing them at the top of their UEFA Nations League pool in League A Group 1 after the first two matches. Cristiano Ronaldo played a pivotal role during the September games, leading the Portuguese team to a three-point advantage over Poland before this match.
Coach Roberto Martinez continues to trust Ronaldo, who at 39 years old is determined to secure his spot in the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Winning against Poland and Scotland during this international break could guarantee a quarterfinal berth through a top-two finish. Portugal is currently unbeaten in their last six encounters against Poland, making them the favorites for this matchup.
The Polish national team is coming off a disappointing performance at UEFA Euro 2024, and Michal Probierz is tasked with maximizing the potential of an aging roster. While the primary focus is on World Cup 2026, avoiding relegation in the Nations League is crucial, and a spot in the knockout phase remains a possibility. Finishing third in the group would lead to a relegation playoff, so securing second place will be essential for Poland’s efforts in the remainder of 2024.
Match details and viewing information are as follows:
Date: Saturday, October 12 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
Location: Stadion Narodowy – Warsaw, Poland
Broadcast: FS2 and Fubo (available for a free trial)
Odds: Poland +400; Draw +300; Portugal -167
In their last outing, Ronaldo led Portugal to a narrow victory over Croatia during a doubleheader that also included a win against Scotland, earning them six points. Ronaldo achieved his 900th professional goal, providing a much-needed boost after Euro 2024. In contrast, Poland relies on their own veteran striker, Robert Lewandowski, who recently reached 84 international goals after scoring against Scotland. However, Poland suffered a loss to Croatia, leaving both teams with three points in the standings.
In terms of team news, Poland introduces new players Maxi Oyedele and Michael Ameyaw, but they still count on experienced veterans like Jan Bednarek, Piotr Zielinski, and Lewandowski. Arkadiusz Milik is sidelined due to injury, which means either Karol Swiderski or Krzysztof Piatek will support Lewandowski in the attack.
Potential Poland lineup: Skorupski; Dawidowicz, Bednarek, Walukiewicz; Frankowski, Szymanski, Zielinski, Urbanski, Zalewski; Swiderski, Lewandowski.
For Portugal, Ricardo Velho and Samu Costa are new additions, and Francisco Conceicao returns, though Geovany Quenda and Pedro Goncalves will miss out. Martinez may opt for a 4-3-3 formation featuring Ronaldo and Rafael Leao as key offensive players.
Potential Portugal lineup: Costa; Dalot, Dias, A. Silva, Mendes; B. Silva, Vitinha, Fernandes; Neto, Ronaldo, Leao.
In terms of predictions, the match is expected to be closely contested, but Portugal is likely to secure a narrow victory, possibly with Ronaldo as the key contributor. The prediction stands at Poland 0, Portugal 1.