Portugal vs Spain 2018 World Cup Betting Preview

The two co-favorites in Group B square off against each other on Friday as the 2018 World Cup play gets underway in Russia. Portugal look to improve on their performance in a group play opener; in 2014, Portugal took a 4-0 thrashing from Germany, losing defender Pepe because of a red card in the process. That contributed to Portugal’s failure to reach the round of 16 because of goal differential. Spain are also looking for redemption, as they took a 5-1 rout at the hands of The Netherlands in their group play opener, and they also failed to make it out of group play. So we have two sides looking to get over history and advance into the knockout rounds. Portugal enter as the winners of Euro 2016 — albeit without winning any matches in regulation. Spain ride in on the momentum of a 6-1 shellacking of Argentina in a spring friendly. Take a look at our World Cup betting preview of this marquee matchup.

Portugal vs Spain 2018 World Cup Betting Preview

When: Friday, June 15, 2018, 2:00pm ET Where: Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia TV: FOX Radio: None Live Stream: Live Soccer TV 2018 World Cup Odds: Spain -112 / Portugal +361 / Draw +251

Why should you bet on Portugal?

Portugal are ranked fourth in the world, and they won Group B of UEFA qualification, winning 9 of 10 matches, amassing 27 points in the process. The captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, leads the team with 150 caps and 81 goals in international appearances. On the field, he has been on fire lately, as he scored 15 goals for Real Madrid in 13 Champions League matches, as well as 26 goals in 27 matches for the club in La Liga. However, he continues to agitate about wanting to leave Real Madrid, and one wonders if this drama will bleed over into World Cup play. Joao Moutinho leads a terrific midfield, and Rui Patricio is one of the steadier goalkeepers in Europe. If you like Portugal, you see Ronaldo continuing to show that flash that he has shown throughout the entire La Liga season and contributing to his national team’s fortunes as well. In 2014, he delivered a cross that ended up turning into a late goal for Portugal, changing what would have been a humiliating loss to the United States into a draw, pushing matters to goal differential. So if there’s a team with a bigger redemption narrative, it’s probably Portugal.

Why should you bet on Spain?

Spain won Group G of UEFA qualification, also winning 9 of 10 games but drawing the tenth, giving them 28 points out of 30. They are ranked tenth in the world, and their roster consists of talent that comes from clubs all over Europe, except for Andres Iniesta, who is now a free agent after leaving Barcelona. However, David De Gea is a solid goalkeeper who also plays in the English Premier League, and defenders Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos will patrol the back line. Ramos was a real difference-maker in Real Madrid’s win in the Champions League final, and he showed physicality when he took Mohamed Salah down in a bad fall and gave goalkeeper Loris Karius of Liverpool a concussion. The attack will be in the hands of Diego Costa, Marco Asensio and David Silva. If you like Spain, you’re going with talent over depth, and you’re going with scheme over flash. Ronaldo will likely be the best pure scorer on the field, but one wonders how he will find open space against a Spanish side that has shown it can bottle up offenses led by elite stars, as they showed in their win over Argentina in a friendly.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

These two teams have met three times in the 2010s, with Portugal winning a friendly going away, 4-0, and Spain winning the 2018 World Cup round of 16 match between the two in 2010. Spain has more talent on their roster, at least in terms of brand-name players, but Portugal has considerable depth. Portugal represent a significant value in this game, and a draw would put both teams in jeopardy of falling behind Morocco, should the Atlas Lions pick up a win over Iran in the group play opener earlier in the day. I see Spain taking the game to Portugal and winning, 3-2.