North Macedonia PM promises €500,000 reward if they beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in World Cup playoff final
North Macedonia's prime minister has promised to reward their football players with €500,000 if they beat Portugal in the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoffs today.
The Lions are set to face Cristiano Ronaldo and co. in Porto in the World Cup qualification playoff final, with the winner set to fly to Qatar. The Balkan outfit, who finished second to Germany in Group J following an impressive campaign, stunned almighty Italy in the semifinals.
A stoppage-time goal from Aleksandar Trajkovski knocked the reigning European champions out, causing them to miss their second consecutive World Cup.
Portugal vs North Macedonia
MATCHDAY TODAY!
World Cup Qualification Play-off Final.
⚽️ Portugal vs North Macedonia
🏟️ Estadio do Dragao https://t.co/23qTgw7QNR
Blagoja Milevski's side are now just 90 minutes away from their first ever World Cup, having also made their Euro debut just nine months ago.
To motivate the side further, Macedonia's leader, Dimitar Kovacevski, has promised the squad €500,000 (US$549,300) if they reach the Qatar showpiece.
Kovacevski, who visited the Vatican last year to ask Pope Francis to pray for his team ahead of Euro 2020, came to wish the squad before the playoffs.
FT: Italy 0-1 North Macedonia 👀
Italy miss back to back World Cups!
What a night for the visitors 👏👏 https://t.co/Jw0CvYBJtm
Having also beaten Germany in the group last year, North Macedonia are eying yet another scalp, one that could just be their biggest yet.
Santos cautions Portugal
Before the Italy clash, Milevski acknowledged that they aren't on the "same level as Italy" but admitted it was no fluke to get thus far.
North Macedonia went on to prove that once again with the Azzurri's ouster, and Portugal coach Fernando Santos cautioned his team about their quality.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, he said:
"They won in Germany and in Italy. To say they are weaker is the wrong way of approaching this game.
"We'll face North Macedonia with the same mentality as we would have against Italy. I know it's the game of their lives, but it's also ours too. We can't afford missing the World Cup."
Portugal have played in every World Cup this century, last missing the bus in 1998, which marked three consecutive absences in a row.
But the next one could be the last for Ronaldo, who's participated in four tournaments as his international career draws to an end.
At 37, this is his last chance at winning the trophy, but could miss out on his final bow altogether if A Selecao fail to win tonight.
Either way, it will be an enticing game to watch.