Portugal claimed the 2026 World Cup title
Francisco Torres
— · 2 min read
A contender, but not among the top favorites - that's Portugal's own feel. Team player and coach Roberto Martinez believes that they are capable of winning the World Cup. Star player Cristiano Ronaldo has played a fatherly role, saying: "This is a very determined, responsible and talented generation. I think they will give the Portuguese a lot of joy." Currently, the team has qualified itself by winning the Nations League, where it won the Final Four against Germany and Spain. "We have won the most difficult Nations League that has ever been played. But the favorites are those who have already won a World Cup. We are contenders," Martinez said. Midfielder Vitinha also said that "Portugal have probably never fielded a squad like this." "We are not naive. We know we have a very good team, full of talent and with players from the biggest clubs in the world. So, I would say we are definitely contenders for the title, but not favourites. We have to prove our quality on the field," Vitinha said. The president of the States, Pedro Proanca, is not calm either. He says it would be "disappointing" not to reach the semi-finals. "We are very ambitious. The team is ready, and with this generation of players, the Portuguese will not receive any information without ambitions." The team's slogan also reflects this ambition: "Vai dar Portugal", which means: "Portugal will do it". World Cup tour on Wednesday DR. Begins against Congo. Martinez has collected his opening bow. Portugal will play according to Vitinha's turquoise and Ronaldo's orders. There is no doubt with Cristiano Ronaldo's starting presence. Diogo Costa, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva are also expected to start. With Ruben Dias in inner defence, the coach has opted for a fresher inner defender, so chances for Thomas Araujo (Benfica) are few. Renato Vega (Villarreal) is considered the most likely candidate. The second opening is about attack. Rafael Liao, who could return after a suspended period, is the main candidate. However, Joao Felix gave an excellent performance against Nigeria. Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceição are also in good form and have been successful in scoring goals in the past.
