As Portugal gears up for a critical clash against Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday, they stand on the verge of securing a quarterfinal berth in the UEFA Nations League.
Under Roberto Martinez, Portugal showcased their dominance with a commanding 3-1 victory over Poland, maintaining a flawless record in the 2024-25 tournament.
Meanwhile, Scotland faced a setback against Croatia, succumbing to a 2-1 defeat despite a commendable effort.
Cristiano Ronaldo, ever relentless in his pursuit of greatness, is inching closer to the monumental milestone of 1,000 career goals.
In the recent match against Poland, he doubled Portugal's lead, adding to Bernardo Silva's opener.
Although Poland's Piotr Zielinski reduced the deficit, the tide turned again when Jan Bednarek inadvertently redirected the ball into his own net, restoring Portugal’s cushion.
Currently sitting atop League A Group 1 with nine points from three matches, Portugal can clinch a spot in the quarterfinals with a win against Scotland.
A loss or draw could complicate their journey, but even in the event of a Poland victory over Croatia, Portugal would still control their destiny.
Portugal's previous encounter with Scotland was anything but straightforward. Just seven minutes into their September clash, Scott McTominay put Scotland ahead, but Portugal swiftly responded through Bruno Fernandes and Ronaldo, turning the match in their favor.
Scotland's recent performance has been troubling; their defeat to Croatia marked their fourth consecutive loss.
Despite leading against Croatia thanks to Ryan Christie, they fell prey to goals from Igor Matanovic and Andrej Kramaric, leaving them with a bleak outlook.
Che Adams’ late equalizer was ruled offside, sealing Scotland's fate and deepening their woes.
They now sit without a win in 15 matches, their sole victory coming against Gibraltar in a summer friendly.
Historically, Scotland has struggled against Portugal, losing four straight matches to the Euro 2016 champions.
The last time Scotland triumphed over Portugal was in 1980, a distant memory overshadowed by recent defeats.
On the injury front, Portugal emerged from their match against Poland relatively unscathed, though Goncalo Inacio withdrew before the October internationals due to injury.
Tactical decisions led to the omission of Joao Palhinha, Francisco Conceicao, and Tomas Araujo from the squad, while Chelsea’s Renato Veiga made his senior debut, filling in at center-back. Antonio Silva stands ready as an alternative if needed.
Scotland also reports no new injuries from their recent loss to Croatia, though key players Angus Gunn, Lawrence Shankland, Greg Taylor, and James Forrest remain sidelined.
As both teams prepare for this crucial encounter, Andrew Robertson and veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon could add to their caps, with Robertson on the cusp of overtaking Alex McLeish for fourth place in all-time appearances for Scotland.