Former FC Bayern defender and Cristiano Ronaldo start for Portugal vs. Uzbekistan | OneFootball

David vs. Goliath, underdog vs. favourite - Uzbekistan vs. Portugal. A massive game in group K as both countries desperately need a win in order to safely advance in the 2026 World Cup.

Former Bayern Munich defender João Cancelo is among the starters for the heavy favourites, with former Augsburg loanee Renato Veiga also in the starting XI.

The spotlight will also be on Cristiano Ronaldo. While Lionel Messi has dominated the headlines at this World Cup so far, the Portugal captain now has the chance to remind everyone of his own enduring quality.

Who will come out on top? Here are the confirmed starting lineups for both teams:

Confirmed World Cup lineups: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan

Portugal (4-3-3): Costa - Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes - Vitinha, J. Neves, Fernandes - Neto, Ronaldo, Félix

Uzbekistan (3-4-2-1): Nematov - Khusanov, Ashurmatov, Abdullaev - Karimov, Khamrobekov, Shukurov, Nasrullaev - Fayzullaev, Ganiev - Shomurodov