Carles Puyol, former Barcelona star, has expressed his confidence in Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal national team’s ability to win the FIFA World Cup in 2026. Puyol, who won the World Cup in 2010, emphasized the strength and resilience of the team under coach Roberto Martinez, especially after their success in the UEFA Nations League. When questioned about Ronaldo’s chances of securing Portugal’s first World Cup title, Puyol responded with a positive outlook.
“Yes, that’s how I see it,” Puyol affirmed. “They have a very good national team. Their players are at the best clubs and have won many trophies. They are very competitive and have a good coach… I think they are a very dangerous team.”
He added that Ronaldo “takes excellent care of himself. He is all about football. His statistics as a centre forward speak volumes.”
In the 2022 World Cup, Portugal showed mixed results. They won 3-2 against Ghana with goals from Ronaldo, Joao Felix, and Rafael Leao. They defeated Uruguay 2-0 with Bruno Fernandes scoring both goals. However, a 2-1 defeat against South Korea raised concerns. Portugal then defeated Switzerland 6-1 in the Round of 16, with Goncalo Ramos scoring a hat-trick, but was eliminated in the quarter-finals, losing 1-0 to Morocco.