Portugal will face Morocco in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Quarterfinal at Al Thumama Stadium, Qatar.
Head to Head
Portugal and Morocco have only met on two previous occasions – both at the World Cup.
1986: Morocco 3-1 Portugal
2018: Portugal 1-0 Morocco
Portugal
- Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to score in five football FIFA World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022) after he netted one in Portugal’s opener against Ghana at Qatar.
- Cristiano Ronaldo is also yet to net in the knockout stages of FIFA World Cup, with all his goals coming in the group stages.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has also led his country to UEFA European Championship glory in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League title in 2018-19. However, the FIFA World Cup title has eluded Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal so far and the superstar has not always been at his best in the marquee showpiece. The closest Ronaldo has come to World Cup glory was in his first involvement in the tournament in 2006, when Portugal lost to France in the semifinals in Germany.
- Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record of most appearance in WC for Portugal – 20; Most International Capped Player for Portugal – 194; Most Goals – 118; Longest National career – 19 years and 3 months.
- Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 5 goals in three games at the 2022 FIFA WC – 2 goals & 3 assists; the most by a Portuguese player in a single edition of the tournament since 1966 (10 Eusébio & 6 José Torres).
- Pepe (39 y & 283 days) becomes the oldest player to score a goal in the knockout phase in the entire history of WC, He surpasses Roger Milla who scored at 38y & 34 days in 1990 (vs Colombia).
- Goncalo Ramos (21y 169 days) is the youngest Portugal player to score in a WC knockout phase match, he surpasses the record of Eusebio who scored at 24 y 179 days against North Korea in 1966.
- Goncalo Ramos is the 3rd youngest player to score a hat-trick in a knockout phase in the entire history of WC, Edmund Conen of Denmark did in 1934 (19 yrs 198 days) and Pele did in 1958 (17 yrs and 246 days).
- Gonçalo Ramos is the 2️nd Portuguese player to score multiple goals in a WC knockout match, after Eusébio (4 goals) against Korea DPR in the 1966 quarter-final (5-3 win).
- Gonçalo Ramos is the 1st player to score a hat-trick on his 1st FIFA WC start since Miroslav Klose for Germany in 2002.
- This is the 3rd time Portugal has qualified for WC quarterfinals – 1966, 2006 and 2022.
- Portugal’s appearance in World Cup Finals 8 – Played: 34 Matches; Won: 17; Draw: 14; Lost: 7; (Knockout matches which were decided on penalty shoot-out – included in draw) Updated till Round of 16 Match against Switzerland.
Morocco
- Yassine Bono became the 1st African goalkeeper ever to save 2 penalties in a single FIFA WC penalty shootout.
- Morocco are the 4th African team to reach the quarterfinals of the WC after Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
- Morocco coach Walid Regragui has become the 1st ever African manager to reach the WC Quarters.
- No opposition player has scored against Morocco in normal time after 4 matches in this edition of WC. The only goal they conceded in this edition against Canada was an own goal by Nayef Aguerd.
- Morocco is the 1st African nation to beat Spain at the WC since Nigeria in 1998
- Morocco’s appearance in World Cup Finals 6 – Played: 20 Matches; Won: 4; Draw: 7; Lost: 9; (Knockout matches which were decided on penalty shoot-out – included in draw) Updated till Round of 16 Match against Spain.
Picture Courtesy: FIFA Media
