Valdano praises Portugal, Pékerman backs Colombia ahead of decisive clash

Portugal’s talent drew praise from Jorge Valdano, but its uneven debut also left questions that matter in a group where every detail can decide qualification. In the same conversation, José Pékerman and Iván Ramiro Córdoba pointed to Colombia’s more solid start, setting up a sharper read on Group K rather than the usual tournament hype.

The stakes are clear. Colombia and Portugal are grouped with RD Congo and Uzbekistan in the 2026 World Cup, a tournament that will expand to 48 teams across 12 groups and be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Their meeting in the third matchday of Group K in Miami already carries the weight of a knockout-like test, because it brings together two of the section’s strongest names with the bracket still open.

Valdano’s standing gives added weight to his judgment. The 1986 World Cup winner with Argentina in Mexico later worked as a player, coach and executive at Real Madrid, and his perspective in Voces del Mundial focused less on reputation than on the signals left by Portugal’s first game. He highlighted the quality in Roberto Martínez’s side, but the debut also exposed enough uncertainty to keep the evaluation from sliding into easy praise.

Pékerman’s view cut from a different angle. He guided Colombia through the country’s most successful recent cycle, including Brazil 2014 and the road toward Russia 2018, so his read on the national team carries obvious relevance. He and Córdoba singled out Colombia’s solid beginning, a start that looked more controlled than spectacular, and that distinction matters in a World Cup group that leaves little room for inflated first impressions.

Pékerman’s recent choice of Portugal as one of his World Cup candidates, ahead of Colombia, also lingered over the discussion and irritated some Colombian supporters. That reaction only sharpened the backdrop to the Miami clash, because Colombia now meets a side that one of its most respected figures has already placed among the title contenders. In a tournament built on 48 teams and wide global exposure, the first week can distort as much as it reveals; here, the next step should show whether Portugal’s talent or Colombia’s steadier opening proves more durable.