Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has one major thing Cristiano Ronaldo does not: a World Cup trophy. When the Portugal national team takes the field for the 2026 World Cup, they will not only be playing for their country but for their GOAT, who, at 41, is likely on his last chance to win the big one for his homeland.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Striker, Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia)
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is nowhere near the player he was for Portugal in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, or 2022 World Cups. However, the team around him is as good, if not better than his best Portugal squad, which was the 2006 group that finished fourth after being knocked out by France and losing to Germany in the third-place match.
While Ronaldo is no longer the best (or second-best player in the world after spending the last four seasons in Saudi Arabia, his supporting cast is better than ever. The core of this group finished eighth at the last World Cup, and most important players are now in their mid-to-late-20s to early 30s, which is right in the sweet spot.
As for Ronaldo, when he appears in his sixth World Cup, he will be the first player in history to do so. And he’s not just a symbolic figure here. The guy can still find the back of the net, even at his advanced football age. Ronaldo scored five goals in qualifying and 28 goals in 30 matches in the Saudi Pro League this year.
If Ronaldo can help Portugal win its first-ever World Cup in his last-ever international tournament, the GOAT debate would truly kick into high gear.
Vitinha, Central Midfielder, Paris Saint-Germain (France)
At the 2022 World Cup, Vitinha was a 22-year-old substitute who had just moved from Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers to Paris Saint-Germain. Four years later, the 26-year-old is one of the best central midfielders in the world who just helped PSG win its second consecutive Champions League title.
Vitinha and his PSG midfield running mate, Joao Neves, will take the places of Rueben Neves and Otavio alongside Bruno Fernandes from the last World Cup. This is a major upgrade in the midfield, and could be the difference in going out in the quarterfinals vs. making an even deeper run this time around.
As the deep-lying playmaker for Portugal, Vitinha will be the player that the attack runs through. His distribution and coolness under pressure will allow Fernandes and Neves to get into dangerous positions and create offense from there, either for themselves or for forwards like Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao, and, of course, Ronaldo.
Bernardo Silva, Wing, Manchester City (England)/ Free Agent
Bernardo Silva is leaving Manchester City—along with stalwart John Stones and manager Pep Guardiola—after nearly a decade with the club. At 31 with a lot of juice left in his game, Silva will be one of the hottest free agents on the world football market this summer. First, though, winning a World Cup will be his top priority.
Silva is a glue player that every team needs. He will play on the wing for Portugal, but can slide more centrally when needed or even track back as a defender when necessary. A big World Cup from this free-agent-to-be would be huge for his country and his bank account when the tournament ends.
Bruno Fernandes, Central Midfielder, Manchester United (England)
Along with Ronaldo and Silva, Bruno Fernandes has been the mainstay for Portugal’s last two World Cups. While having an incredible young supporting cast around them is great, this team will ultimately go as far as these three seasoned veterans take them.
Bruno Fernandes is the primary creative force for the Portuguese and will be the one creating the chances for the talented group of forwards here. The big difference between this World Cup and the last is that Fernandes should have more room to operate and less pressure to track back with Vitinha behind him.
The Manchester United captain has never had this good a group around him for club or country, so this World Cup should be a treat to watch him operate amidst all this talent.
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