Wales Have 'Puncher's Chance' Against Star-Studded Portugal, Insists Jordan James
Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Jordan James insists a depleted Wales squad will show no fear when they face a star-studded Portugal side in their UEFA Nations League A opener in Lisbon.
Wales secured promotion back to the top tier of the Nations League after topping their League B group in 2024, but they face a daunting task against Roberto Martínez's side at the Estádio José Alvalade. The visitors arrive in Lisbon missing several key figures, with Joe Rodon, Dylan Lawlor, Karl Darlow, Nathan Broadhead, and star playmaker Harry Wilson all unavailable.
Underdogs Ready to Fight
Despite facing an elite Portugal squad featuring the likes of Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bruno Fernandes, and veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo, James believes Wales can cause an upset.
"Obviously they're the best players in the world at the end of the day, you can't really sugarcoat it," James said. "They've got Champions League winners, they've got these kinds of things. I think we're always underdogs. We're used to it, so hopefully we can use that to benefit ourselves. You can't count us out. We've got a puncher's chance at the end of the day and we're going there to sort of cause an upset."
Past Success Against Elite Midfields
James is expected to feature in a fierce midfield battle against Paris Saint-Germain duo Vitinha and Joao Neves alongside Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. However, the young midfielder is no stranger to elite opposition, having played a key role when Wales defeated a Croatia midfield containing Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, and Mateo Kovacic in October 2023.
"I've still got Kovacic's shirt on the game up in my room," James recalled. "That was a really proud moment for me at such a young age to be able to compete against the best. It was a really proud moment and hopefully there will be many, many more."
Facing Cristiano Ronaldo
James was born just 11 months after Cristiano Ronaldo first signed for Manchester United in 2003, and admitted that sharing a pitch with the 41-year-old icon is surreal.
"We're all trying to achieve the same thing, to be the best player in the world," James added. "But you get those sort of aliens in a way that don't seem human. You look at the Messis, the Neymars, the Ronaldos - they've just got that extra little quality where in big moments they turn up and can do it again and again and again. I think that's the main thing. The longevity of how they're able to do it is unbelievable."