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First Touch ’26 - Portugal Featuring Eric Kraukaer
A country of just 10 million people, Portugal has produced three Ballon d’Or winners—and in 2026 they might be the best bet to become the next new nation to lift the World Cup. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass breaks down how the Seleção went from late bloomers (just two World Cup appearances before 2002) to genuine “sharks” on the international stage, with insight from Portuguese-born commentator Eric Krakauer.
We trace the roots of the game in Portugal—English merchants, students returning from England, and the rise of the Taça de Portugal and Primeira Liga—then tell Portugal’s modern…
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