Portugal Has a World Cup Problem - And It Might Be Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal will kick off the 2026 FIFAWorld Cup in Group K, where they will face DR Congo on June 17 before matchups with Uzbekistan on June 23 and Colombia on June 27.
By all measures, this is a group Portugal shouldn’t have any trouble getting out of.
Roberto Martinez’s squad is stacked with elite talent across the pitch, from Porto’s star goalkeeper Diogo Costa to Manchester City’s defensive anchor Ruben Dias, Manchester United’s creative midfielder Bruno Fernandes, and a collection of rising stars.
Of course, the headliner remains Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal reached the quarterfinals in 2022, won the UEFA Nations League in the buildup to this tournament, and enters with one of the deepest rosters in soccer.
That depth is a major reason why ESPN ranked Portugal No. 6 in its final World Cup power rankings, placing them behind Spain, France, Argentina, England, and Brazil, but firmly among the tournament favorites.
Yet, with the World Cup set to kick off in less than 48 hours, analyst James Tyler highlighted a major concern with the Seleção, arguing that Ronaldo is both Portugal’s greatest asset and biggest vulnerability.
The concern is whether Portugal can get the most out of a team overflowing with talent if the attack revolves around a player entering the final chapter of his career.
“As has been the case for several years, Portugal’s biggest star — and one of the game’s all-time greats — could also be their biggest flaw if the 41-year-old forward can’t learn to play well with a deeply talented roster and let them shine around him,” Tyler wrote.
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In recent weeks, several analysts have argued that Portugal may actually be better off with Bruno Fernandes, not Ronaldo, serving as the focal point of the offense.
With 29 goals and 26 assists in 88 matches, and in the prime of his career, Fernandes has become Portugal’s most reliable attacking weapon, while younger stars like Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Pedro Neto, and Rafael Leao can offer speed up front that other opponents can’t match.
Ronaldo remains productive, having just scored 28 goals in 30 matches with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr in 2025-26, but the World Cup can be unforgiving, and with so much rising talent around him, he could actually get in the way of what Portugal has built.
The Seleção’s title hopes, therefore, may hinge on whether Ronaldo and Fernandes can coexist in a way that elevates the entire team.
But if he can help deliver the country’s first-ever World Cup, even in a complementary role, Ronaldo’s legacy becomes virtually untouchable.
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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 5:20 PM.