World Cup knockouts: Argentina and Portugal routes confirmed

Following the conclusion of the group stage at the 23rd World Cup, Argentina secured the top spot in its group, while Portugal finished second. Argentina will face Cape Verde in the round of 32, followed by a potential match against the winner of Australia versus Egypt. Portugal is set to play Croatia on Thursday, July 2, at the Toronto stadium, and if they advance, they could face Spain on July 6 at the Dallas stadium. Due to their group placements, a match between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is now only possible in the final. Analysts note that Argentina has a statistically easier path to the later stages compared to other title contenders. OPTA supercomputer projections place France as the tournament favorite, with Argentina currently ranked as the second favorite with a 16.26% win probability. While Argentina's path to the quarterfinals is considered favorable, Portugal faces a more challenging road through the knockout stages.