World Cup takeaways for Round of 32: Portugal's draw with Colombia likely denied us the chance to see Messi vs. Ronaldo

Key Points:

• Portugal's 0-0 draw with Colombia relegated it to second place in Group K, making a quarterfinal meeting with Argentina—and thus a Messi-Ronaldo World Cup clash—unlikely unless both teams reach the final.
• Portugal's performance has been underwhelming, with no goals scored in two scoreless draws and a win only against the weakest team in the group, raising doubts about their chances to advance far in the tournament.
• Cristiano Ronaldo has been largely ineffective in recent matches, missing key opportunities and failing to influence scoreless draws, while Portugal's overall play appears slow and stagnant despite a talented midfield.
• Portugal faces a tough knockout path, beginning with a Round of 32 match against Croatia, followed by a likely Round of 16 clash with Euro 2024 champion Spain, making a deep tournament run challenging.
• Other notable Round of 32 matchups include Netherlands vs. Morocco, Brazil vs. Japan, Ivory Coast vs. Norway, and the United States vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, with several games poised to test the favorites early in the knockout stage.