Group K is the Cristiano Ronaldo show! Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan all do battle on BETDAQ EXCHANGE WORLD CUP, but there’s only one man that will make the headlines here! At 41 years old, chasing the one trophy that has eluded him throughout an extraordinary career, Ronaldo is backed by one of the most complete squads in the tournament and reigning UEFA Nations League Champions. Portugal are currently trading 12.0 for Outright glory. The shadow of Diogo Jota also hangs heavy over this Group – the Liverpool forward and beloved figure in the Portugal squad died in a car crash along with his brother Andre Silva in July 2025, and this will be the first major tournament without him. The major worry for Portugal in this Group has to be Colombia – one of the most exciting attacking teams in South America and you’d have to imagine those two will take the top two spots.
Group K
• Portugal
• Colombia
• DR Congo
• Uzbekistan
🇵🇹 Portugal (🔢 FIFA Ranking: 5th)
Portugal qualified by winning UEFA Group F, though the campaign had its moments of drama. A shock 2-0 defeat to Ireland – during which Ronaldo (pictured below) was sent off for elbowing a defender, earning a ban that initially threatened to rule him out of the World Cup opener. FIFA subsequently ruled that Ronaldo’s suspension from qualification does not carry over into the finals, meaning he will be available from the start. Roberto Martinez has been building purposefully since taking over in 2023, and the payoff was Portugal’s UEFA Nations League title in the summer of 2025, beating Spain in the final – their first major tournament triumph since Euro 2016. The squad they carry into this tournament is genuinely impressive. You could even make the case that they don’t need Ronaldo. He’s 41 and surely lost a bit of pace playing in Saudi Arabia – it will be interesting to see how he performs at the top level, and whether or not the manager has the bottle to hook him off if it’s not going well. Bruno Fernandes set the record assists in the Premier League for Manchester United this season; he should be the heartbeat of the side. The one area of concern is defensive solidity – they have been capable of conceding sloppy goals against quality opposition.
🇵🇹 Colombia (🔢 FIFA Ranking: 13th)
Colombia are the team many neutrals will be calling their “dark horses” to win. That has been Belgium for the last few major tournaments but they fluffed their lines with their golden generation. Somewhat ironically, they are both trading the same price to win Outright at 50.0! They qualified by finishing third in the CONMEBOL standings with seven wins and seven draws in 18 games, a campaign that included taking four points from their two matches against World Champions Argentina and reaching the Copa America 2024 Final against the same opponents before eventually losing in extra time. Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz (pictured below) is their main man – most football fans will also know captain James Rodriguez, now at Minnesota United in MLS. I do feel they have some issues at the back, but the way this Group works out could suit Colombia. The plan has to be to beat DR Congo and Uzbekistan, and then they have a June 27th finale against Portugal in Miami to following decide the Group winner.
🇨🇬 DR Congo (🔢 FIFA Ranking: 46th)
DR Congo’s qualification story is another one filled with drama and emotion. Obviously with the expended World Cup; a lot of nations have qualifying that we wouldn’t usually see at a World Cup. DR Congo – known as Zaire at their only previous World Cup appearance in 1974 – secured their place in the most extraordinary fashion. Needing to beat Jamaica in the inter-confederation playoff to qualify, they were drawing 0-0 with time almost up when Burnley’s Axel Tuanzebe headed home in the 100th minute of extra time to book their place at the tournament. Fantastic scenes, especially for a country that has endured decades of conflict and instability domestically. They have an aging squad, but they do have a few Premier League players; Newcastle’s Yoane Wissa (pictured below), Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki and West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka. It’s hard to know what to expect, but their matchday three clash with Uzbekistan in Atlanta is a genuine opportunity for a famous result for them.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan (🔢 FIFA Ranking: 50th)
Uzbekistan make their first-ever World Cup appearance as an independent nation – they are making history just by being here and deserve massive credit, but they are massively up against it here. They qualified by finishing as runners-up in AFC Third Round Group B, behind Japan. The level apart from Japan was very weak, but they do have Fabio Cannavaro (pictured below) as manager, the former Italy and Real Madrid captain, 2006 World Cup winner and one of the greatest defenders of his generation. Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov is the headline name in their squad, but it would be a surprise if they could trouble Portugal or Colombia. Much like what I said about DR Congo above, their most realistic ambition is the final Group game against DR Congo in Atlanta on June 27th. Just reaching the World Cup at all is a landmark moment, but they might be able to get a win there.
GROUP K BETTING PREDICTION
Who Will Top Group K And Who Will Qualify From Group K?
Portugal are the clear market favourites to win Group K, trading around 1.61 to top the group. Colombia are their closest challengers at around 3.55, with DR Congo at around 14.5 and Uzbekistan at around 36.0+. Portugal should win this group. The squad quality, the Nations League title and the firepower of Fernandes all suggest they should be able to handle Colombia. However, I do feel both Portugal and Colombia will both beat DR Congo and Uzbekistan, which brings us to the final matchday to decide the Group K Winner.
The Ronaldo question is the central tactical puzzle for Martinez. He is 41 and playing in Saudi Arabia – does the manager start him in every game for sentimental reasons, or does he make pragmatic decisions that might leave Ronaldo on the bench? If he’s on the bench, he’s probably not going to react well. Colombia at 3.55 to win the group deserves genuine consideration. The fixture order works in their favour in my opinion. Portugal have a long history of underperforming at the World Cup too; they might start to feel the pressure if we go to the final matchday, and I feel a small bet on Colombia is a good value call.
The Ultra Says:
One point win Colombia Group K Winner at 3.55 with BETDAQ EXCHANGE WORLD CUP
