Belgium vs Portugal - Combined XI | UEFA Euro 2020
Belgium and Portugal meet in a mouth-watering Euro 2020 last-16 clash in Seville on Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals.
The European powerhouses have traversed contrasting paths to reach this stage of the competition. The Red Devils cruised through Group B, winning all three of their games. Meanwhile, the defending champions finished behind France and Germany in the 'group of death'.
However, in a high-stakes match like this one, form tends to go out the window and either side could win, considering the interesting player matchups.
Belgium and Portugal have played each other several times in the past, but this will be their first meeting at a major tournament. That makes their duel all the more interesting and worth looking forward to.
Ahead of the highly anticipated kick-off, let's have a look at how Belgium and Portugal would stack up in a star-studded hypothetical combined XI in a 3-1-4-2 formation.
Goalkeeper: Rui Patricio (Portugal)
He wasn't the most stellar goalkeeper heading into Euro 2020, but after three games, Rui Patricio has made everyone take notice of him again.
The 33-year old pulling off a series of fine saves to bail Portugal out in tense moments. His acrobatic effort to stop Paul Pogba in the last group match is a huge reason why Portugal have reached the Round of 16.
His tally of 11 saves is the joint second-best among all goalkeepers active in the competition, with Belgium's Thibaut Courtois on seven.
Portugal will rely on Patricio to deny the in-form attacking duo of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, with his Belgian counterpart - without denying his capabilities - enjoying the luxury of a stoic defence in front of him.