Portugal is considered among the favorites at the expanded 48-team tournament. Ronaldo will play in his sixth World Cup, the most ever alongside Argentina's Lionel Messi. This is Portugal's ninth World Cup appearance. The team finished third in 1966 and fourth in 2006, when Ronaldo made his World Cup debut. In 2022, Portugal reached the quarterfinals but lost to Morocco 1-0. Ronaldo the European Championship with Portugal in 2016.
Portugal's Group K schedule:
- Congo, Wednesday, Houston (opening match)
- Uzbekistan, June 23, Houston
- Colombia, June 27, Miami
Ronaldo spoke to reporters in Portugal before the team's departure.
It is important to get off to a good start, do well in the first and second matches and then finish first in the group. Then we go match by match, but not with the expectations of winning it all. It has to be step by step. A good start is the most important thing.
Ronaldo said the team will go match by match without expectations of winning it all. He added that further in the tournament, when things get tighter and the psychological and physical fatigue come into play, that is when the real champions will emerge.
It will be further in the tournament, when things get tighter and the psychological and physical fatigue come into play, that we will know who the real champions are.
Ronaldo said preparation at home was intense and productive. He said he is feeling well physically and that the whole squad is ready and hopeful ahead of its quest for a first World Cup title. Ronaldo now plays in Saudi Arabia after spending most of his professional career with Real Madrid and Manchester United.
It's a very good generation of players. But there are factors that we can't control. Winning or losing, which is the most important thing, depends on many factors. But it's a generation that will make the Portuguese people happy.
Portugal faced Nigeria in an international friendly in Leiria, Portugal, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, before leaving for the United States.
