Abel Xavier has seen Portugal teams come and go. None, he says, have matched this one. As Portugal prepare to face Croatia in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 live on SuperSport this Friday at 01:00 CAT, the former Portugal, Liverpool and Everton defender believes his country carries both the squad and the moment to go all the way and that Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, may never get another chance.
A Squad Built for This Moment
Xavier does not deal in hollow optimism. When he calls this Portugal generation the finest in the country’s history, he grounds it in what he sees on the training pitch and across Europe’s biggest clubs every week.
“If we are talking about both quantity and quality, Portugal currently has the best generation of players,” he tells SuperSport. “I believe that if the coach sets up the team properly, considering the number of quality players available, Portugal can achieve the results needed to take them at least to the semi-finals.”
Depth across every position. A balance of established stars and players entering their prime. And a collective hunger that has been building for years. Xavier represented Portugal during one of the country’s most formative eras, helping lay the groundwork for the generations that followed. He knows what a tournament-ready squad looks and feels like.
The Ronaldo Question
One storyline runs through everything. Cristiano Ronaldo, widely expected to be contesting his final World Cup, remains the focal point for a nation that has watched him conquer every major club honour and deliver a European Championship, yet never claim football’s greatest prize.
For Xavier, the motivation could not be clearer.
“I honestly believe Cristiano wants to finish his career with a major trophy. I think the greatest trophy and the greatest privilege a player can have is winning something with their country. In my opinion, that is the ultimate prize.”
He acknowledges the weight of the comparison that has followed Ronaldo throughout his career. “Unfortunately, over the last few decades, two of the greatest players ever have emerged: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It has often felt like a personal competition between them as well.” Messi lifted the World Cup with Argentina in 2022. The parallel does not need spelling out.
Why This World Cup Belongs to No One Yet
Croatia arrive in the last 32 as one of knockout football’s most reliable operators. Portugal will not underestimate them. But Xavier’s broader point is that this expanded tournament, featuring 48 teams across 104 matches, has scrambled the old order in ways that even the favourites cannot ignore.
“I think this World Cup is unusual because there are more teams and more unpredictable situations can happen. There are some teams that may not appear capable of competing at the highest level, but they can still surprise people.”
He singles out Asia and Africa as the regions most likely to unsettle the established powers. “If we talk about the physical strength of the African teams, and the pragmatism and tactical discipline of some of the Asian teams, they can surprise people. Take South Korea, for example. For many people, their performance in the first game was a surprise. For me, it was not a surprise.”
His pecking order for the title places France, Brazil, Argentina and Spain at the front, with Portugal and England in the tier capable of breaking that group’s grip.
Africa, Identity and the Question That Still Needs an Answer
Born in Mozambique, Xavier’s connection to Africa runs deeper than biography. Returning to the continent as part of the SuperSport broadcast team has reconnected him with something he carries everywhere he goes.
“It’s been awesome. Being here has allowed me to reconnect with my roots because Africa is in my heart. I would really, really like to see the African teams do well.”
That desire comes with a challenge he refuses to sidestep. “If African players are individually capable of competing at the highest level and playing for the best clubs in Europe, why are we not consistently seeing stronger national teams? That is something we need to reflect on.”
He points to coaching as a second thread. “Among the African teams, only a few have local coaches. That is another point we need to think about.” He notes Ghana’s appointment of Carlos Queiroz as an example of the ongoing pattern.
His conclusion, though, carries genuine conviction. “When you talk about physicality, tactical awareness and understanding of the game, African teams have improved significantly. If you’re talking about skill, we have everything needed to compete with the very best. For that reason, I believe the moment will come when an African team achieves something truly special.” He identifies Senegal and Morocco as the sides currently closest to making that moment real.
Friday Morning: Portugal, Croatia and Everything at Stake
Xavier joined a SuperSport broadcast team that has assembled some of the most recognisable names in the global game to cover every one of the tournament’s 104 matches. His perspective — shaped by Mozambique, Lisbon, Merseyside and a UEFA Champions League final — gives viewers a reading of this World Cup that few analysts can match.
Portugal face Croatia on Friday at 01:00 CAT with a semi-final place in reach and a nation’s dream riding on the result. Ronaldo chases the one trophy that has always stayed just out of reach. Xavier believes the squad around him has never been better equipped to go and get it.
Watch Portugal vs Croatia live on SuperSport, Friday, 01:00 CAT.
