Spain v Portugal today: the Iberian heavyweight tie that should have been a final, and it is only the last 16

[Isaac80]

Here it is at last, Spain against Portugal in Dallas this afternoon, a fixture with the weight of a final landing in the round of 16 thanks to the way the bracket fell. The European champions against a Portugal side that scraped past Croatia, two of the deepest squads in the tournament, and one of them is going home before the quarterfinals even begin

Spain arrive as many people's favourites for the whole thing, unbeaten inside ninety minutes across a remarkable run, Lamine Yamal back to his best and scoring in his hometown, and a first World Cup knockout win since the 2010 final already banked against Austria. They look like a team that has rediscovered its swagger at exactly the right moment

Portugal are the more uncertain proposition, having needed a stoppage time Goncalo Ramos header and a VAR intervention to see off Croatia, with Ronaldo scoring his first ever World Cup knockout goal but the team looking laboured for long spells. There is quality everywhere in that squad, the question is whether it clicks against opposition this good

The subplots are endless, Yamal against a Portugal defence that will target him, the veteran Ronaldo against a Spain side built on youth and control, and two managers who know that losing this early with a squad this talented is the kind of result that ends reigns. It is the tie of the round by a distance

So the calls for the board. Are Spain genuinely the best team left and does that midfield control travel against a side that can hurt them on the counter, does Portugal's individual quality outweigh their patchy tournament form, and if you had to send one of these two home today, who survives?

2026 FIFA World Cup match schedule: Fixtures, results, featureswww.espn.com

[AlexaBliss]

Spain and it is not particularly close for me, the control in that midfield is a different level and Portugal have not looked like a team that can wrestle a game back off them for ninety minutes

[BinaryMonk95]

Portugal have the individual match winners to nick it though, they do not need to dominate, one moment from Ronaldo or a set piece and Spain's lovely possession counts for nothing on the scoreboard

[EventHorizon63]

The Yamal factor decides this, if Portugal double up on him he finds space for others, if they do not he punishes them himself, either way he is the most dangerous player on the pitch by a distance

[NeonPhantom]

Everyone writing Portugal off forgets they always find a way to make these games ugly and tight, it will not be the exhibition Spain fans are expecting, I can see penalties

[Penguin79]

Spain finally have their mojo back and I am slightly nervous as a neutral because a confident Spain is a beautiful watch, this could be the game of the tournament so far

[Anchor99]

The bracket doing this to us in the last 16 is criminal, one of the two best squads in the competition is out today and it should have been a semifinal at the earliest

[DeadChat]

Ronaldo starting again is the eternal Portugal debate and it might cost them against a side this good, you need legs to press Spain and he cannot give you that for ninety anymore

[GradientHydra]

Whoever wins this has to be a genuine favourite for the whole thing given how the giants have been falling, the survivor gets real momentum and a kind bracket