Cristiano Ronaldo must be gearing up for his record sixth World Cup appearance as Portugal announces their official squad for the upcoming edition. Ronaldo, a five-time UEFA Champions League winner, has yet to lift the coveted international trophy. He wishes to fulfil the dream this time as part of a formidable Portugal squad featuring Ballon d’Or contender Vintinha and Manchester United icon Bruno Fernandes. Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez unveiled a 27-man squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 on Tuesday (May 19).
PSG Stars Headline Portugal World Cup Squad 2026
Four players from Paris Saint-Germain, including midfield maestro Vitinha, have featured in Portugal’s final squad. Having won the Champions League title last season, Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes and Goncalo Ramos will now look to match the success in the national colours as Portugal aim for their first-ever World Cup triumph. The PSG players in Portugal squad are approaching the business end of the 2025-26 season, which they will wrap up with a high-voltage UCL final against Arsenal in Budapest on May 30.
Cristiano Ronaldo Leads Portugal World Cup Squad 2026: Full List Of Players
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Ricardo Velho |
| Defenders | Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Rúben Dias, Tomás Araújo |
| Midfielders | Ruben Neves, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix, Francisco Trincao, Francisco Conceição, Samu Costa |
| Forwards | Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Guedes, Gonçalo Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo |
Is Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo Possible at FIFA WC 2026?
While Argentina has yet to release their final squad, Lionel Messi is expected to lead the defending champions after his dream-like campaign in Qatar in 2022. As fans keep wondering if there’ll be a Messi vs Ronaldo showdown in the 2026 World Cup, well, there’s a possibility.
The legendary duo can’t face each other in the group stage. But if both Argentina and Portugal finish as their respective group toppers and successfully overcome Round of 32 and 16, Ronaldo and Messi will cross paths in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Portugal World Cup 2026 Schedule: When Will The Ronaldo-led Side Begin Their Campaign?
Placed in Group K, the Portugal National football team will play their first World Cup match against DR Congo on June 17. They will face Uzbekistan and Colombia in the next two group league games on June 23 and 28, respectively.
