A Miserly Defence
Portugal came through Group K conceding just one goal. Ruben Dias and Nuno Mendes anchor a back line, with Diogo Costa among the best young goalkeepers in the world behind them.
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Player Spotlight · 2026 World Cup
Ronaldo at 41
This is almost certainly the last time the world watches Cristiano Ronaldo at a World Cup, and the records keep falling. At 41, in a tournament-record-equalling sixth finals, he answered his doubters with a first-half brace in Portugal's 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan to become the first player ever to score at six different World Cups. Portugal advanced from Group K as runners-up under Roberto Martinez, defence intact, chasing the one prize that has always escaped their captain.
6th
World Cup
41
Age in 2026
145
Portugal Goals
K
Group, 2nd
The short version. A slow start, then history: Ronaldo's brace against Uzbekistan made him the first man to score at six World Cups and, at 41 years and 138 days, the second-oldest to score at the finals. Portugal are through to the Round of 32 with one of the deepest squads in the tournament and a defence that conceded once in the group. This is editorial analysis, not betting advice.
The Resume
The most decorated career still missing one thing
Ronaldo arrives at his farewell tournament as the leading scorer in the history of men's international football, which is precisely why the missing trophy looms so large.
6
World Cups played, from Germany 2006 to 2026, making Ronaldo the second man to appear at six editions and the first ever to score at all six.
145
goals for Portugal and counting, a record for his country and the most in the history of men's international football, extended by his brace against Uzbekistan.
5x
Ballon d'Or winner, a Euro 2016 and 2019 Nations League champion with Portugal, with the World Cup the one prize that has always eluded him.
The framing of 2026 is simple: Ronaldo has won almost everything the game offers, at club level and with Portugal, but never the World Cup. His best run was a fourth-place finish as a 21-year-old in 2006, and Portugal have not gone beyond the quarter-finals in his other campaigns. At 41 this is the last chance, which is what gives every Portugal match its weight. For the full team picture, see our Portugal squad guide.
The Group Stage
A slow start, then a record-breaking brace
Portugal needed a couple of games to find their range, and when they did it was their 41-year-old captain who made the headlines.
- Portugal 1-1 DR Congo (17 June, Houston). A frustrating opener in which the attack misfired and Ronaldo was quiet, the kind of game that fuelled the questions about his place.
- Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan (23 June, Houston). The answer. Ronaldo opened the scoring inside six minutes, turned down a chance to add a second from a free-kick to let Nuno Mendes convert, then raced onto a through ball for a third before half-time. The brace, his 144th and 145th international goals, made him the first player to score at six different World Cups and, at 41 years and 138 days, the second-oldest to score at the finals.
- Colombia 0-0 Portugal (27 June, Miami). A cagey draw against the eventual group winners that confirmed second place in Group K and a passage into the Round of 32.
Portugal finished on five points, a goal difference of plus five and just one goal conceded across the group. For the full table and fixtures, see our Group K guide, and track the scores on the results page.
The Case for Portugal
Why this is more than a one-man story
Ronaldo is the headline, but Portugal are contenders because of the depth around him.
Midfield Control
Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha give Portugal one of the strongest engine rooms in the tournament, able to dictate tempo and unlock low blocks when the game gets tight.
Attacking Width
Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao and Pedro Neto stretch defences and carry the ball at pace, the kind of threat that wins knockout ties when the front line clicks.
Real Depth
Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos and the emerging Joao Neves mean Martinez can change a game from the bench, a luxury few of Portugal's rivals can match.
The Ronaldo Factor
Even at 41, Ronaldo remains a relentless penalty-box threat and a leader who lifts the occasion. His Uzbekistan brace was proof the instinct in front of goal has not dimmed.
A Manager Who Backs Him
Roberto Martinez has stood by Ronaldo through every goal drought, balancing the captain's presence with the form players around him in a settled, confident group.
The Verdict
Can Ronaldo finally lift the World Cup?
The talent is there for a deep run. The questions are the attack's consistency and a tougher knockout road as group runners-up.
The honest read is that Portugal are genuine outsiders rather than favourites. Finishing second in Group K means a harder draw than a group win would have brought, and the attack was held twice in three matches even as the defence barely conceded. But few squads at the tournament can match Portugal's blend of a watertight back line, a controlling midfield and a bench full of game-changers, and in Ronaldo they still have a finisher capable of deciding a tie in a single moment. If the front line clicks into gear against better opposition, this is a side that can reach the latter stages, and the romance of the one missing trophy, in the great's final chapter, is obvious. Track it alongside the Golden Boot race and our power rankings as the bracket narrows toward New York.
Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2026 World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo's last?
Almost certainly. Ronaldo is 41, having been born on 5 February 1985, and 2026 is his sixth World Cup. A seventh in 2030, when he would be 45, is realistically beyond him, so both Portugal and Ronaldo himself treat this tournament as his farewell on the biggest stage. It is the last chance to see one of the two defining players of his generation chase the one prize that has eluded him.
How many World Cups has Ronaldo played in?
Six. Ronaldo has featured at the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and now 2026 World Cups, making him the second man to appear at six editions after Argentina's Lionel Messi. He went one better than Messi in another respect at this tournament, becoming the first player in history to score at six different World Cups when he netted against Uzbekistan.
How has Ronaldo played at the 2026 World Cup so far?
He started slowly and then made history. Ronaldo was quiet in Portugal's opening 1-1 draw with DR Congo, but answered his critics with a first-half brace in the 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan, his first goals of the tournament. He opened the scoring inside six minutes and added a third before the break. Portugal then drew 0-0 with Colombia to finish second in Group K. His two goals were his 144th and 145th for Portugal, extending his all-time international record.
What records did Ronaldo break at the 2026 World Cup?
Two stand out. By scoring against Uzbekistan, Ronaldo became the first player ever to find the net at six different World Cups, stretching back to 2006. At 41 years and 138 days he also became the second-oldest player to score at a World Cup. He remains Portugal's record scorer and most-capped player, and the leading scorer in the history of men's international football.
What group were Portugal in and how did they finish?
Portugal were in Group K with Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan. They drew 1-1 with DR Congo, thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 and drew 0-0 with Colombia, finishing second in the group on five points behind Colombia. A defence that conceded just once across the group carried them through to the Round of 32, even as the attack was held twice in three games.
Who is the Portugal coach in 2026?
Roberto Martinez. The Spaniard took charge of Portugal after the 2022 World Cup and named a 27-man squad for 2026 with Ronaldo as captain. Martinez has consistently backed Ronaldo through goal droughts, praising the intensity and enthusiasm he still brings to training, and built a team that blends the veteran's experience with one of the deepest pools of young talent in the tournament.
Has Ronaldo ever won the World Cup?
No. The World Cup is the one major trophy missing from Ronaldo's career. His best finish was fourth place in 2006, and Portugal have not gone beyond the quarter-finals in his other campaigns. He has won the Euros in 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 with Portugal, plus five Ballon d'Or awards and a host of club titles, but the world title has always escaped him, which is what gives 2026 its weight.
Who else does Portugal rely on besides Ronaldo?
Portugal are far more than Ronaldo. Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha run the midfield, Bernardo Silva and Rafael Leao provide attacking width, Ruben Dias and Nuno Mendes anchor a miserly defence, and Diogo Costa is among the best young goalkeepers in the world. Joao Felix, Pedro Neto and the emerging Joao Neves add depth. The strength of the supporting cast is exactly why Portugal are taken seriously as contenders, with or without Ronaldo at his peak.
Can Portugal win the 2026 World Cup?
They are genuine outsiders. Portugal have arguably their deepest squad in a generation and a defence that barely conceded in the group, but a second-place finish in Group K means a tougher road through the knockouts. The questions are whether the attack can click into gear against better opposition and whether Martinez can balance Ronaldo's presence with the form players around him. The talent is there for a deep run, but it would take a step up from the group stage to reach MetLife.
Keep Reading
More 2026 World Cup coverage
Ronaldo's farewell is one story among 48 teams. Explore the rest of the WorldCuply.com guide:
Portugal Squad
The full guide: Martinez's deep squad, the golden generation around Ronaldo, Group K and the case for a deep run.
See the squad ›Group K Guide
Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan: the fixtures, the final table and how the group played out.
See the group ›Messi's Last Dance
The other great at his final World Cup: Messi leading the holders Argentina and chasing back-to-back titles.
Read the spotlight ›Golden Boot Race
The contenders for top scorer, the records on the line, and where Ronaldo's brace puts him in the chase.
See the race ›Sources
Sources and further reading
Career records, the squad and the group-stage results were checked against official and authoritative sources:
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