A Portugal national team star has revealed that he and his Brazilian club teammates have discussed a plot for the two countries to avoid facing each other in the early knockout stages by purposely finishing first or second in their respective 2022 FIFA World Cup groups.
Less than a week remains before the grand showpiece in Qatar takes centre-stage and each nation has confirmed their final squads for the tournament following the 14 December deadline.
Five-time world champions Brazil are widely considered to be the favourites alongside Argentina and France. The South American giants head into the competition as the number one ranked team, according to FIFA, while they boast a star-studded squad led by Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar.
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Portugal midfielder Danilo Pereira has now revealed that the Brazilian No.10 as well as his other Portuguese teammates at PSG have already discussed their path to meet each other later in the tournament rather than the last 16. Five Les Parisiens players could feature in that potential clash, including Neymar, Marquinhos, Vitinha, as well as Nuno Mendes.
"We have already discussed it," Pereira told FIFA. "We will try to avoid that we finish first and them second or vice versa.
"I don't think anyone really wants to see Portugal and Brazil face off in the round of 16. It's a poster that is better suited to a final."
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The two nations have only previously met twice at the World Cup in 1966 and 2010, and the Europeans won the earlier tie, while the two giants played out to a goalless draw when they met in the group stages at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
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