Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal's Predicted Starting XI and Squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
If Cristiano Ronaldo wants to add a World Cup title to his already bursting trophy cabinet, the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States is almost certainly his last chance to do so.
Barring an injury (and even that might not stop him), the 41-year-old will be featuring in his sixth and likely final World Cup. He has scored in each one of those tournament appearances so far, the only man to have done so.
He can extend that record even further in the summer, but it's the big prize that will truly be in his crosshairs.
Luckily for him, Portugal has a good chance of progressing deep into the competition. The Iberian nation has a healthy talent pool to choose from, including some of the finest players in their respective positions.
The Seleção hasn't progressed past the quarter-finals since a fourth-place finish in 2006, Ronaldo's first tournament. Given the talent available to them in the last two decades, they should really have achieved more.
Now it's up to Roberto Martinez to guide Portugal into the latter stages. He'll be under serious pressure not to squander the nation's chances after failing to capitalize on Belgium's golden generation in his previous stint in international management.
He's got some tough decisions to make for the squad, never mind the starting XI. FIFA has not yet confirmed the roster limits for the 2026 tournament, but based on the previous edition, the Spaniard will have space for only 26 players.
Ahead, we've predicted Martinez's first-team selection for Portugal's opening game, in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
We've also guessed the squad members who will look to take the Seleção through Group K—which will also feature Uzbekistan, Colombia and Congo DR—en route to ultimate glory.
Goalkeeper: Diogo Costa (Porto)
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The first selection is an easy one, with Porto's Diogo Costa holding down the national team's No. 1 jersey for the best part of the last four years.
In 42 international games, he has kept 18 clean sheets and conceded 35 goals. While he's undoubtedly helped by an experienced back line, he's still a fantastic goalkeeper.
For Primeira Liga leaders Porto this season, the 26-year-old has conceded just 21 goals in 40 games in all contests, putting in some big performances in the club's pursuit of domestic and Europa League glory.
Jose Sá and Rui Silva will provide capable backup options, but there's little they can do to supplant Costa between the sticks.
Left Back: Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain)
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Nuno Mendes has morphed into one of the world's finest left-backs. The 23-year-old is a mainstay in a dominant Paris Saint-Germain side, offering defensive diligence as well as a potent attacking threat.
His performances on the way to the French side winning a quadruple last season saw him selected to the FIFPRO World XI in 2025, and he landed 10th in that year's Ballon d'Or rankings.
Competition for the left-back spot comes from Nuno Tavares, with the former Arsenal and now Lazio player steadily improving after an erratic stint in English football. However, Mendes has little to worry about when it comes to the starting berth.
With the left-wing spot in this XI not being a traditional, touchline-hugging attacker, Mendes will be given license to burst forward and provide overlapping runs before providing deadly deliveries into the box.
He has six goals and six assists for PSG so far this season, demonstrating his effectiveness in the final third.
Center Back: Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
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At 28 years old, Ruben Dias is now the elder statesman in Portugal's center back corps following the retirement of stalwart Pepe.
The Manchester City defender has not been at his dominant best for a faltering Manchester City side this season, and he didn't appear in the club's Carabao Cup-winning campaign.
Still, he's been a fixture in the international setup since 2018, and his experience against top-level forwards in both domestic and European action will be invaluable when paired up with one of the Seleção's young center-backs.
Dias will miss the March international break with a hamstring injury, but he should have plenty of time to recover before the World Cup gets underway.
Center Back: Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP)
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It's pretty much a straight shot between Lisbon rivals Gonçalo Inácio and António Silva for the other center-back slot, but the Sporting defender is just about in front.
This will be Inácio's first World Cup appearance, but he featured twice at Euro 2024 and started alongside Dias in the 2025 Nations League final.
At just 24 years old, he looks set to be a starter for the national team for the next decade or so, and he's been a crucial player for Sporting on their way to an unlikely Champions League quarterfinal.
He's even captained his club side on a couple of occasions this season, proving he's got a mature head on young shoulders. On the World Cup stage, that will be essential to ensure the occasion doesn't get the better of him.
Right Back: João Cancelo (FC Barcelona, On Loan From Al-Hilal)
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The toughest spot to call in the Portugal starting XI comes at right-back, with Diogo Dalot, João Cancelo, and Matheus Nunes all fine options at the position.
Dalot has been a regular for Manchester United this season, while in the blue half of the city, Nunes has seemingly completed his conversion from midfielder to defender, starting 25 of Manchester City's 30 Premier League games.
Elsewhere, João Cancelo is back in European football after a stint in Saudi Arabia, and he's now patrolling the right flank for Barcelona on loan from Al-Hilal.
All provide an attacking threat, but Dalot's defensive capabilities will put him ahead of the others if solidity is the aim of the game.
It will likely be a rotation of the three depending on the opponent. In the opening game, though, it will be crucial for Portugal to make a statement, and the experience and attacking verve of Cancelo will probably be favored.
Central Midfielder: Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
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As arguably the best defensive midfielder in world football, Vitinha will be the first name on Martinez's teamsheet.
It will be much tougher for the 26-year-old to dictate play from the middle of the park in a setup less familiar than his club team, but he's still got the tactical intelligence to exploit his opponents' weaknesses and unlock the wealth of attacking options in front of him.
Like his PSG team-mate Mendes, Vitinha was named in the 2025 FIFPRO World XI. His efforts last season also landed in a third-place finish in the Ballon d'Or voting, showing just how far he's come from an underwhelming loan spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2021-22 campaign.
In the summer of 2026, Vitinha will make his second appearance at a World Cup tournament. This time around, though, he will be much more essential to Portugal's chances of making the final.
Central Midfielder: João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
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The third PSG star in Portugal's World Cup starting XI is João Neves, who will likely become the face of the national team once Cristiano Ronaldo reluctantly hangs up his boots.
The diminutive midfielder covers so much ground, but it's not just aimless sprints all over the park. He snaps into challenges, makes intelligent runs forward, and covers positions that have been left vacant.
The 21-year-old has struggled with injury at times this season, but provided he's fit, he'll be a key component of Portugal's game plan, lining up alongside clubmate Vitinha to shield the backline and act as the Selecão's metronome.
If he is unavailable, Ruben Neves or Matheus Fernandes could slip into the role fairly comfortably. However, neither player will be as impactful as the PSG tyro.
Attacking Midfielder: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
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In yet another disappointing campaign from Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes has again been a cut above the rest.
The 31-year-old has provided eight goals and 16 assists for the Red Devils in 28 domestic appearances. The latter is the most for the club in a single Premier League campaign.
For the national side, he was a key player at the 2022 World Cup, and he will again be influential in the final third in North America.
In addition to his penchant for creating chances, his leadership qualities, shooting ability, and admirable fitness levels will be so important to Portugal's cause.
The big question is: Can he co-exist effectively with the man leading the line?
Left Winger: Bernando Silva (Manchester City)
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Bernardo Silva is a little shoe-horned into the left-wing position, and Rafael Leão might be wondering what he has to do to get a look-in.
But you simply can't leave out the little Manchester City magician, who can create something out of nothing and keeps the ball on a string.
Silva will likely roam centrally in the buildup play, leaving room for Nuno Mendes to barrel forward and cause havoc from the left flank. This could give the 31-year-old a bit of a free role, allowing him to find pockets of space and utilize his close control to open gaps in the backline and dink cute passes into the box.
Silva could also swap positions with the right-winger or slip into a central role, giving Portugal a little tactical flexibility that can be exploited mid-game.
This will likely be Silva's third and final World Cup, and he'll want to remind everyone of his outstanding qualities.
Forward: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
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Even at the ripe old age of 41, Portugal are still reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo.
The player with the most goals in men's international football history doesn't appear to be slowing down, with 13 strikes in his last 14 games.
Questions will rightly be asked about his temperament and true contribution to a free-flowing team game, but you can't argue with that scoring record, and his aura alone provides the fans a boost and his opponents a shot of fear.
With one final opportunity to claim a trophy that has so far eluded him, and to chalk a point up for himself in the GOAT debate with Lionel Messi, his almost-terrifying winning mentality will be amped up a couple of notches—which could yet be detrimental to his teammates.
Still, Portugal's chances of success begin and end with Ronaldo, for better or worse. It will be interesting to see if he is utilized as an option from the bench in the knockout stages, as that will to win becomes all the more important with time ticking away. He can be much more effective with far fewer minutes in his legs.
Right Winger: Pedro Neto (Chelsea)
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From either flank, Pedro Neto must be among the most irritating players to face up against.
His relentless attacking tenacity, nimble footwork, and love of a good one-on-one battle make him a brutal opponent to track and dispossess. That ability to get to the byline and deliver teasing crosses will be ideal for a penalty-box predator like the 40-plus version of Cristiano Ronaldo.
In a Chelsea team that has blown hot and cold this season, the 26-year-old has five goals and four assists in 29 Premier League appearances. If the Blues had a reliable No. 9, the assists tally would likely be much better.
Neto does have competition from Francisco Conceiçao, but the 23-year-old lacks consistency and is still a fair way from his full potential.
With his injury issues seemingly behind him, Neto is terrorizing Premier League defenders on a weekly basis, and his end-product is vastly superior.
Full Squad
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GK: Diogo Costa, Jose Sá, Rui Silva
DEF: Nuno Mendes, Ruben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, João Cancelo, António Silva, Renato Veiga, Matheus Nunes, Diogo Dalot, Tomás Araújo
MID: Vitinha, João Neves, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Fernandes, Rúben Neves, Bernardo Silva
FOR: Cristiano Ronaldo, Pedro Neto, João Félix, Rafael Leão, Francisco Conceição, Gonçalo Ramos, Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves
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