Expert Picks

Portugal weren’t at their best during the group stage, but they should have enough quality to beat Croatia. They showed flashes of brilliance in a 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, but they’ll be disappointed to draw with DR Congo and Colombia. Meanwhile, Croatia lost 4-2 to England, before bouncing back with narrow wins against Panama and Ghana. They’re a decent team, but they tend to struggle against elite opposition these days, and they could be outclassed by the likes of Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva in midfield.