Football legend Carles Puyol has confidently backed Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to triumph in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The former Barcelona defender, a World Cup winner himself in 2010, believes the team, now led by Roberto Martinez, has shown great strength, particularly with their UEFA Nations League win. When asked if Ronaldo could lead Portugal to their first World Cup victory, Puyol gave an emphatic yes.
“Yes, that’s how I see it,” Puyol said. He further elaborated, “They have a very talented national team. Their players play for major clubs and have won many titles. They are highly competitive and have a great coach… As things stand, I think they are a very dangerous team.”
Puyol also remarked, “He takes excellent care of himself. Football is his life. His statistics as a center forward are very impressive.”
Portugal’s performance in the 2022 World Cup saw them start with a 3-2 victory over Ghana, with goals from Ronaldo, Joao Felix, and Rafael Leao. They then defeated Uruguay 2-0, with Bruno Fernandes scoring both goals. A loss of 2-1 against South Korea raised concerns. Portugal then beat Switzerland 6-1 in the Round of 16, with Goncalo Ramos getting a hat-trick, but lost to Morocco 1-0 in the quarter-finals, ending their World Cup journey.