On the age of 41, Cristiano Ronaldo was looking for the one main trophy that has eluded him throughout a glittering profession when the five-time Ballon d’Or winner captains a hotly-tipped Portugal facet on the World Cup 2006.
The all-time file scorer in worldwide soccer reached the semi-finals at his first World Cup in 2006 and has appeared at every subsequent version of the finals however by no means bettered that run.
The Selecao’s marketing campaign 20 years in the past was one in all two World Cup tournaments at which they’ve reached the final 4, together with 1966, however they have been knocked out within the final 16 this time round.
Right here’s how Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal fared on the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Ronaldo World Cup fixtures: Schedule, full outcomes
Listed below are Portugal’s outcomes on the World Cup 2026.
Asterisk denotes match beginning on the day gone by within the said territory.
| Date | Match | Outcome | Stage | Time (BST) | ET | PT | Channel |
| June 17 | DR Congo | 1-1 | Group | 18:00 | 13:00 | 10:00 | BBC |
| June 23 | Uzbekistan | 5-0 | Group | 18:00 | 13:00 | 10:00 | ITV |
| June 28 | Colombia | 0-0 | Group | 00:30 | 19:30 | 16:30 | BBC |
| July 3 | Croatia | 2-1 | Spherical of 32 | 00:00 | 19:00* | 16:00* | BBC |
| July 6 | Spain | 0-1 | Spherical of 16 | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | BBC |
| July 10 | USA/Belgium | Quarter-finals | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | TBC | |
| July 14 | TBC | Semi-finals | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | TBC | |
| July 18 | TBC | Third-placed match | 22:00 | 17:00 | 14:00 | TBC | |
| July 19 | TBC | Ultimate | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | BBC, ITV |
Is Ronaldo enjoying within the World Cup 2026? Damage information updates
Ronaldo sat out his nation’s first two matches of 2026 with a hamstring damage however began each of their warm-up video games for the finals as captain, that includes for 45 minutes in opposition to Chile adopted by a 65-minute outing in opposition to Nigeria.
Head coach Roberto Martinez has stated the icon stays key for his facet however may select to make use of him selectively, as predecessor Fernando Santos did on the 2022 finals.
Portugal had began Ronaldo in every of their earlier 18 matches on the finals earlier than he got here on as a second-half substitute within the last-16 win over Switzerland and quarter-final defeat to Morocco in Qatar.
The Actual Madrid all-time prime scorer known as the 2026 version “a brand new chapter” earlier than enjoying for 90 minutes for Portugal for the primary time since October 2025 of their opening 1-1 draw with DR Congo and scoring twice of their 5-0 win over Uzbekistan.
He transformed a penalty of their 2-1 comeback win over Croatia within the quarter-finals however confirmed his dismay at being substituted. Portugal have been then knocked out by Spain within the final 4.
“Each time we put on this jersey, we really feel the identical pleasure, ardour and the identical sense of accountability from day one,” he added earlier than the event.
“We’ve labored onerous to get to this second and now it’s time to present our all for our nation, and for all of the Portuguese communities that help us right here and world wide. Imagine it like we do.”
A 0-0 draw with Colombia meant Portugal completed second of their group and Ronaldo then scored once more in a 2-1 win over Croatia earlier than that defeat to Spain.
Cristiano Ronaldo subsequent match at FIFA World Cup 2026
Ronaldo’s group are out of the World Cup
World Cup 2026: Will Cristiano Ronaldo carry the trophy?
Reigning Nations League champions Portugal are among the many favourites to win the World Cup and have an immensely skilled squad.
Metronomic midfielder Vitinha was participant of the match in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League last win over Arsenal, joined by teammates left-back Nuno Mendes, playmaker Joao Neves and strikers Goncalo Ramos in changing into European champions.
Joao Felix has rediscovered among the type that prompted Atletico Madrid to pay £113 million for him in 2019 since becoming a member of Ronaldo at Al-Nassr and Portugal’s forwards shouldn’t battle for provide from midfield, though they’ve traditionally struggled to interrupt down deep-lying defences.
Manchester United’s inventive inspiration, Bruno Fernandes, was the Premier League participant of the season for 2025/26 and one in all Manchester Metropolis’s hardest challenges subsequent season will probably be figuring out the best way to substitute the ingenious Bernardo Silva, who has joined Actual Madrid.
Enterprising wideman Joao Cancelo, industrious and versatile United full-back Diogo Dalot and Metropolis centre-half Ruben Dias are amongst Martinez’s choices on the again, forward of goalkeeper and famous penalty-saver Diogo Costa.
Argentina – led by Ronaldo’s generational rival, Lionel Messi – Spain, France, England, Brazil and Germany are among the many likeliest candidates Portugal should beat to the title if Ronaldo is to win another trophy on what is sort of definitely his worldwide swansong.
Portugal World Cup 2026 squad: Full checklist of Ronaldo teammates
Right here’s the squad Ronaldo leads at his sixth World Cup, having scored a complete of eight objectives within the historical past of the event earlier than the beginning of the finals.
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolves), Rui Silva (Sporting), Ricardo Velho (Genclerbirligi)
Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Man United), Matheus Nunes (Man Metropolis), Ruben Dias (ManCity), 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 (Man United), Bernardo Silva (Man Metropolis)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Joao Felix (Al-Nassr), Francisco Trincao (Sporting), Francisco Conceicao (Juventus), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Rafael Leao (Milan), Goncalo Guedes (Actual Sociedad), Goncalo Ramos (PSG)
