CAN PORTUGAL RING THE BELL? All eyes on Ronaldo and Lukaku as they meet in a heavyweight last-16 fixture

The contrast in progress could not have been greater. Belgium masterfully overcame adversity to win all its group games, while Portugal saw its fortunes ebb and flow before it finished on the third spot in Group F following the 2-2 draw against world champion France. An extra day of rest was Belgium’s reward for topping Group B, having seen the talismanic trio of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Axel Witsel all return from injury.

It had looked as if the heart of the team had been torn out on the eve of the 24-nation tournament, threatening to scupper its strong chances. The influence of the trio was clearly displayed when it came on after a torrid first half in Belgium’s second group against Denmark. The triumvirate neutralised the emotion-fuelled host and turned a half-time deficit into a 2-1 win in Copenhagen. That allowed Roberto Martinez to rest players in the 2-0 win over Finland in a textbook tournament scenario. But, whether it turns out to be the ideal recipe for success in the knockout phase remains to be seen. It could be counter argued that Portugal is better prepared, having had to scrap against the likes of Hungary and France in Group F. Portugal head coach Fernando Santos offered a simple formula.

“These matches are like finals and if you don’t play well, you don’t win,” he told reporters. “In league competitions, you can play badly and still win. But here at this tournament, at this stage, if you don’t play well, you will lose... every time,” added Santos. Portugal has its own talisman in Cristiano Ronaldo, who needs one more goal to become the all-time top scorer in men’s international football. “Cristiano is in the form of his life,” said Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld. “But as a team, we can stop him. That has always been our strength. Facing Portugal will be difficult, it is a real tournament team.” The juxtaposition between the match-winning capabilities of Ronaldo and Belgium’s own prolific marksman Romelu Lukaku adds intrigue to the Round-of-16 game. With 63 goals for his country, Lukaku, who is eight years younger than Ronaldo, might one day challenge the Portugal captain’s stunning record.