Portugal World Cup 2026 preview: Players to watch, group matches and squad

Portugal World Cup 2026 preview: Players to watch, group matches and squadPortugal are hugely talented but are led by a fading Cristiano Ronaldo and are still grieving the loss of Diogo Jota.Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing at his sixth and final World Cup [File: Rodrigo Antunes/Reuters]Published On 8 Jun 2026Previous World Cup appearances: 8 Best performance: Third place (1966) First appearance: 1966 (England) Top goal scorer: Eusebio (9) Most appearances: Cristiano Ronaldo (22) Player to watch: Cristiano Ronaldo FIFA world ranking: 5Portugal come into yet another tournament dominated by the question of Cristiano Ronaldo and whether the veteran and his side can finally win the one major trophy that has eluded them in his final World Cup.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘Pushing the limits’: Ageing stars make history at the 2026 World Cuplist 2 of 4World Cup contenders: Can Spain’s young stars live up to the hype?list 3 of 4From sensor-equipped balls to robot dogs: What’s new at the World Cup?list 4 of 4‘We are fighters’: Iraq aim to shock rivals at 2026 World Cupend of listEven in the 2022 edition, there were many questions over whether Portugal are worse with their record goalscorer in the lineup.While those concerns have hardly abated in the intervening four years, Ronaldo was a prominent part of qualifying and seems nailed on to start under boss Roberto Martinez if he is fit.With or without Ronaldo, this Portugal team – playing in their seventh consecutive World Cup – is richly talented, led by self-belief and genuine contenders to lift the trophy.Martinez urges Portugal to ‘fight for Diogo Jota’s dream’Portugal are still grieving the loss of forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash last summer. His absence will be sorely felt on and off the pitch.Martinez said he considered Jota to be a “plus one forever” in a tribute to the player.“The final list includes 27 names plus one,” Martinez said.“To lose Diogo Jota was an unforgettable moment and a very difficult moment.“But the next day it was a responsibility for all of us to fight for Diogo Jota’s dream and for the example that he was in our national team. The spirit, the strength, the example of Diogo Jota, the plus one. He will be the plus one forever.”A screen displays a tribute to Jota during the World Cup qualifier match between Portugal and the Republic of Ireland, at Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon in October 2025 [Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images]Ronaldo’s last World Cup danceAt this point, Ronaldo is not Portugal’s “player to watch” because he is the best player, as the 41-year-old striker has long been a fading force at elite level – it’s more because of his outsized status.No one doubts the historic greatness of CR7 – he leads Portugal’s and international football’s all-time scoring charts with a staggering 143 goals.But questions abound over his fitness and his discipline. He missed Portugal’s friendlies in March with a hamstring issue, and he’s lucky to be even available to play for Portugal in the group stage after he received a red card against Ireland during qualifying for violent conduct. The typical three-match ban for such behaviour was mysteriously reduced to one game by UEFA, which he has now served.His recent big tournament performances have been poor. He scored just once at the 2022 World Cup and failed to score at all at Euro 2024, despite starting all five games.Managing his workload in the sapping summer heat of Houston, Miami and elsewhere will be a challenge, and there are the tactical concerns – Portugal can look more dangerous without the less mobile Ronaldo up front.But if Ronaldo is fit, it is hard to see how this all-time great and Portugal’s captain will be left out, and he will relish the opportunity to show that he still has what it takes during his World Cup swansong. He also has more records in sight. Ronaldo needs two goals to surpass Eusebio’s World Cup record of nine for Portugal.“When we talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, we talk about two players,” Martinez said.“We talk about the icon of world soccer and we talk about the player, our captain, who has the same demands as the other players, the competitiveness to be in the national team. Our captain is an example. We want him to continue with the same level of responsibility and leadership inside the locker room.”An elite midfieldRonaldo has the benefit of playing in front of a superlative midfield. Bruno Fernandes has rediscovered his form at Manchester United this season, notching up a record 21 Premier League assists, as he has returned to his favoured number 10 role.With the likes of Vitinha, Joao Neves and Bernardo Silva playing alongside Fernandes, Portugal are able to control most games, dictate the tempo, and unlock the most miserly of defences.Vitinha, in particular, has found the form of his life as the PSG player finished third in the 2025 Ballon d’Or and pulls the strings from a deep-lying role, while his clubmate Joao Neves, still just 21 years old, is rapidly becoming one of the smartest midfielders in European football.However, while the pace and trickery of Rafael Leao and Conceicao offer consistent threats down the flanks, the former’s fitness and output have been a concern this season.Martinez under pressureMany remain unconvinced by Portugal’s Spanish coach Martinez. He does not seem willing or able to stand up to Ronaldo when needed, and his big tournament tenure at Portugal and previously Belgium has generally been underwhelming.Martinez’s side did, however, make a big statement with a fantastic performance and a victory on penalties in the 2025 Nations League final over a phenomenal Spain side.Martinez played down his side’s chances before the tournament.“I think only a national team that has already won the World Cup can be a favourite,” he said.“Considering the talent and the spirit of our group, we all can dream. We can dream, yes, and be a candidate, but not a favourite.”How does Portugal’s group look?They should progress comfortably from Group K as they start their first two games against relative minnows in DR Congo and Uzbekistan, playing at their first World Cup.The last group game against a talented and technical Colombia – ranked 13th and boasting the likes of Luis Diaz, James Rodriguez and Daniel Munoz – will likely be a stiff test and a playoff for top spot.Portugal’s group stage matches and kickoff times:⚽ June 17: Portugal vs DR Congo (Houston, US), 1pm ET (17:00 GMT)⚽ June 23: Portugal vs Uzbekistan (Houston, US), 1pm ET (17:00 GMT)⚽ June 27: Colombia vs Portugal (Miami, US), 7:30pm ET (23:30 GMT)Al Jazeera’s predictionQuarterfinals.An exceptional midfield will likely be let down in defence and attack at some point during the tournament.Portugal’s full World Cup squadGoalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Silva (Sporting Lisbon), Ricardo Velho (Genclerbirligi)Defenders: Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Joao Cancelo (Barcelona), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Nelson Semedo (Fenerbahce), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting Lisbon), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Tomas Araujo (Benfica)Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Vitinha (PSG), Joao Neves (PSG), Ruben Neves (Al Hilal), Samu Costa (Mallorca)Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Rafael Leao (AC Milan), Joao Felix (Al Nassr), Goncalo Ramos (PSG), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Francisco Conceicao (Juventus), Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Francisco Trincao (Sporting Lisbon).