Rafael Nogueira
Cristiano Ronaldo will lead Portugal into the 2026 World Cup this summer after coach Roberto Martinez named the 41-year-old in his squad on Tuesday. The Al Nassr striker, formerly of Real Madrid and Manchester United, is set to appear at a record sixth World Cup — a feat matched only by Lionel Messi, who enters the tournament as the defending champion after leading Argentina to glory in Qatar four years ago.
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Ronaldo remains the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 143 goals, yet neither he nor Portugal have ever lifted the World Cup. A potential on-field meeting with Messi adds another layer to what could be the final World Cup chapter for both players.
The forward avoided a three-match ban despite being sent off for an elbow against the Republic of Ireland in Portugal‘s final qualifying match. His place in the squad was never seriously in doubt.
Martinez selected a 27-man squad with no major surprises. Ronaldo‘s Al Nassr teammate Joao Felix is also included, alongside a strong contingent from Paris Saint-Germain — Vitinha, Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes, and Goncalo Ramos. Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United features as the primary creative midfielder, while Manchester City‘s Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias provide experience across the pitch.
Portugal will face Chile and Nigeria in pre-tournament friendlies before opening their World Cup campaign against DR Congo on June 17th. They then meet Uzbekistan on June 23rd and Colombia on June 27th in Group K.
Portugal’s Full 2026 World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers
- Diogo Costa (Porto)
- Jose Sa (Wolves)
- Rui Silva (Sporting)
- Ricardo Velho (Genclerbirligi)
Defenders
- Diogo Dalot (Manchester United)
- Matheus Nunes (Manchester City)
- Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
- Nelson Semedo (Fenerbahce)
- Joao Cancelo (Barcelona)
- Nuno Mendes (PSG)
- Goncalo Inacio (Sporting)
- Renato Veiga (Villarreal)
- Tomas Araujo (Benfica)
Midfielders
- Ruben Neves (Al Hilal)
- Samu Costa (Mallorca)
- Joao Neves (PSG)
- Vitinha (PSG)
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
- Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Forwards
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)
- Joao Felix (Al Nassr)
- Francisco Trincao (Sporting)
- Francisco Conceicao (Juventus)
- Pedro Neto (Chelsea)
- Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
- Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad)
- Goncalo Ramos (PSG)
Follow TipsGG for full coverage of Portugal‘s World Cup campaign, including match previews, odds analysis, and squad updates ahead of June 17th.