Portugal head to the 2026 World Cup with their strongest squad in history but the Ronaldo conundrum remains

Analysis

By Tom Kundert for World Soccer in the 2026 World Cup Special, May 2026.

Portugal set sail across the Atlantic with the strongest squad they’ve ever had dreaming of a first World Cup crown

"W want to do what has never been done before in Portugal’s history,” said head coach Roberto Martinez at the World Cup 2026 draw ceremony in Washington D.C. “We’ve won the European Championship. We’ve won the Nations League. Now we will fight for our dream.”

The sentiment is shared by pundits, journalists and supporters throughout the country, with many categorically claiming this is the strongest squad Portugal have ever sent to a World Cup.

Most importantly, it is also the stated goal of the players themselves. For the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, it will likely be their last shot at lifting football’s greatest prize. Silva says the squad is better prepared than for Euro 2024 given the healthy mix of young and older players, and crucially “even the younger members of the squad, like Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes, already have bags of top-level experience.”

Despite the embarrassment of riches, especially in midfield where one of Bernardo, Bruno, Vitinha or Joao Neves will probably start on the bench, Portugal do have weaknesses and it is how Martinez mitigates the team’s shortcomings that will define how deep the Selecao go in the tournament.

At the heart of defence, no centre-back has proven a reliable partner for Ruben Dias, and a fragility when defending crosses was evident in the qualifying campaign.

At the other end of the pitch, Cristiano Ronaldo’s role will inevitably be discussed interminably, regardless of Martinez flatly refusing to countenance his absence from the starting XI. “Ronaldo is not in the team because of what he has done in the past. He has scored 25 goals in our last 30 matches. We are a stronger side with Ronaldo in it.”

In the UEFA Nations League finals in 2025, Ronaldo was taken off in the semi-final and the final, having scored against both Germany and Spain. Using the talismanic captain in this way, rather than blindly keeping the 41-year-old on the pitch for every minute of every game, like at Euro 2024, will maximise the chances of Portugal’s record scorer and caps holder adding the one trophy missing from his glittering collection.

It is testament to how far the Selecao have progressed over the past two decades that perceptions have shifted from Portugal being dark horses in major international tournaments to among the genuine contenders to lift the trophy. Martinez is acutely aware of the historical opportunity: “The achievement in 1966 with Eusebio [when Portugal finished third] is our benchmark. We want to improve on that.”

Roberto Martinez's view

Is this the most talented group of players you’ve worked with? Could we call this Portugal’s “golden generation”?

Everybody has an opinion. I think the golden generation of Portuguese football is 1966, where Eusebio was the leader of a group of players that finished third in the World Cup. So, until there’s another group of players that finish above third, the golden generation is to be Eusebio and that group of players. It’s true that our national team represents the good work that Portugal have done in the last 30 years of developing players.

It is a group of players that is not just one generation – you’re talking about a captain at 41 all the way down. Many generations working together. All we need to do is adopt a humble approach, push ourselves to the maximum and take every game that we can to the limit.

Vitinha has had a fantastic couple of seasons in the Champions League. What makes him so good?

He is a player that you can analyse from the heart because he captivates your heart. He is such a technician, he can receive the ball in any position, he can control the ball in front of two, three defenders, and then execute, and make the others play. He can finish games, he can control the tempo. Then, you can judge Vitinha from the objective point of view of assessing his stats. His stats are among the best in the midfield in the Champions League – and what he is producing in every game consistently makes him a very special player.

Cristiano Ronaldo is 41 now. Does he remain an indisputable player in your XI?

We are talking about an iconic player who has been in the national team for 22 years. It is indisputable that he is the player with the biggest amount of experience in world football. No other player has more caps. He has changed – he is not the player he was at 18. Now, he is playing more in the box, affecting the space in the defensive line. He makes runs that open spaces and he has given us 25 goals in the last 30 games. Away from his experience and know-how, this is what Cristiano currently brings. His leadership and that work in the final third is still one of the best in the world.

Unfortunately, Diogo Jota is no longer part of this group. How did that tragedy affect your players?

You said it – a tragedy. It’s never easy to cope with a tragedy. It hurts beyond football. To lose Diogo was a real shock for all of us. I think quickly and individually, with respect, everybody had to come to terms with what was the next step, and the next step is that Diogo will always be with us. That’s what this group of players have managed to do – Diogo’s dream is still with us and he sets the standards, he sets the light for the direction of this group. He was very much part of what we built in the dressing room, being able to win the Nations League. In that second game against Denmark, he had a massive, massive role to play and he had a big influence. He will always be with us.

Samindra Kunti

Tactics

From day one of Roberto Martinez’s appointment as Portugal coach after the 2022 World Cup, he has championed the need for tactical flexibility – in stark contrast to his predecessor Fernando Santos. The Spaniard has been true to his word, utilising 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-3 formations during his tenure.

While Martinez is willing to tailor his team to the opposition and mix things up from match to match, or even in-game, the underlying philosophy is consistent and in tune with the world-class set of midfielders at his disposal. Portugal look to dominate possession and control the game rather than adopting a transitional approach. They seek to create overloads in the final third, often through marauding full-backs advancing forward and cutting inside. Martinez’s Portugal like to hog the ball, which is also an effective means of defence, and prise open the opposition through the guile of their exceptionally technically gifted and creative players.

It can be devastating – twice Portugal have scored nine goals in a game during Martinez’s reign – but against teams that sit deep with packed backlines they can struggle. It would not be a surprise to see Martinez partner Cristiano Ronaldo with Goncalo Ramos early in the tournament.

The View From Portugal

“Portugal’s World Cup will depend a lot on how Martinez manages egos. Can Ronaldo be a weapon? Yes, but his brilliance cannot supersede the interests of the collective. In Mendes, Vitinha, Neves, Bruno and Bernardo, the talent is available. The problem is you can say the same about seven or eight other teams.” - Antonio Tadeia, journalist & commentator

“Rarely have Portugal gone to a World Cup with such high expectations. Is it justified? The depth of Martinez’s squad and the way Portugal won the Nations League suggest yes. The form of some key individuals is the key to improving on the semi-finals of 1966 and 2006.” - Nuno Madureira, TV journalist & author

The Coach

A surprise appointment in January 2023, Martinez wooed Selecao supporters with his natural charm and impressive displays during Euro 2024 qualifying. A mediocre showing at the tournament itself and some unexpected hiccups during World Cup qualifying has eroded support for the Spaniard, despite the UEFA Nations League victory in 2025.

He talks a good game and his tactical flexibility has largely been beneficial for Portugal, although a tendency to overthink things has led to some questionable lineups. Likely to be his last tournament at the helm, regardless of the outcome.