All articles tagged with #ronaldo
Portugal named Jorge Jesus as head coach for the 2026 World Cup cycle. He said Ronaldo isn’t a problem and could be part of the plan, with his first game a Nations League opener against Wales on 24 September. Portugal are co-hosting the World Cup in four years with Spain and Morocco. Jesus arrives with a track record of success at Benfica, Flamengo, and Al Hilal, including a domestic treble and a Copa Libertadores title.
Cristiano Ronaldo says this World Cup is likely his last, but he will not rush a retirement decision as Portugal are eliminated by Spain 1-0 in the round of 16, courtesy of a late Merino goal. He remains proud of his Portugal career, praises manager Roberto Martinez, and plans to reflect with his family before deciding on the future.
Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career concludes with Portugal's Round of 16 defeat to Spain in Dallas, making him the first player to score in six World Cups and the oldest knockout scorer; he hints at international retirement while continuing club football with Al-Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed this World Cup would be his last, but Portugal were eliminated 1-0 by Spain in stoppage time after Mikel Merino’s late winner, leaving Ronaldo emotional as his sixth World Cup run ended in heartbreak.
Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in Toronto after Ronaldo converted a VAR-confirmed penalty to level, and Goncalo Ramos headed home in stoppage time to seal a last-16 spot; Croatia’s late equaliser was ruled offside, and Portugal advance to face Spain in Dallas.
Portugal and Croatia meet in the World Cup Round of 32 at BMO Field in Toronto, a high-stakes knockout clash that could mark Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup appearance and pits a veteran Croatia side led by Luka Modrić against a Portugal squad determined to advance.
Portugal and Croatia meet in the World Cup 2026 Round of 32 in Toronto, pitting aging icons Ronaldo (41) and Modric (40) against each other. Croatia rebounded from a rough group stage to advance; Portugal have been underwhelming but still boast Ronaldo as a starter. Opta gives Portugal the edge in regulation (about 54.5%), with the winner moving on to a last-16 clash vs Spain or Austria. Predicted lineups feature Ronaldo leading Portugal in a 4-2-3-1 and Modric anchoring a Croatia 4-3-3, with kickoff times and broadcasters varying by region.
Portugal and Croatia line up for a World Cup 2026 last-16 clash, with Portugal naming Diogo Costa in goal and Leão starting in place of João Félix, while Croatia sign off with Livaković in goal and a midfield featuring Modrić and Kovaić (Kovacic). Formations are debated (4-2-3-1 vs. 4-4-2). The fixture is framed as a high-profile encounter between two star-studded sides, with pundits joking about a Modrić–Ronaldo narrative ahead of kickoff.
Portugal and Colombia meet in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium to decide Group K, with both already through to the knockout stage; Ronaldo is in form after a brace in the previous match, while Colombia, led by Diaz, tops the group and enjoys a partisan home crowd. Kickoff is 7:30pm local time, and Opta’s computer projects Portugal as the favorite (about 48.9%), Colombia at 26%, with a 25.1% draw, potentially shaping the knockout-path implications.
Day 13 reshuffles the World Cup power rankings but the top tier remains largely intact: France still leads as Mbappe and co. consolidate their formula, while Argentina continue to shine under Messi. Germany, Spain and the United States make notable moves up the table thanks to decisive results, and Norway’s Haaland-fueled form adds momentum. Portugal’s Ronaldo hit a brace in a 5-0 win to lift them further, but this doesn’t topple the giants; England’s goalless draw dampens momentum as the field for knockout spots tightens. The piece walks through movements of all 48 teams, arguing that only a truly exceptional performance can disrupt the established order at the summit.
Lionel Messi became the all-time World Cup top scorer with 18 goals after scoring twice against Austria, surpassing Miroslav Klose; his 2026 hat trick against Algeria also made him the oldest player (38) to notch a World Cup treble. Mbappé sits tied for second with 16 goals (alongside Klose), Ronaldo is fourth with 15, and Müller has 14, as the 2026 World Cup continues to rewrite the record books.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice against Uzbekistan in Houston to become the first player ever to score in six World Cups.
Live World Cup 2026 coverage of Portugal v Uzbekistan, focusing on Cristiano Ronaldo's controversial week, Roberto Martínez defending him, and Portugal's lineup shake-up (Dias and João Félix in; Bernardo Silva and Araújo out) as Ronaldo starts. Uzbekistan respond with a goalkeeper change (Nematov) and three other changes, while Abbosbek Fayzullaev looms as a bright spot. The match sets early Group K dynamics as both sides seek points.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez says Cristiano Ronaldo remains the ideal captain and starting option for the World Cup, praising his leadership, experience and performance metrics amid criticism and noise surrounding the team.
The opening round of the 2026 World Cup delivered a wave of shocks across groups: the USA announced itself with a 4-1 rout of Paraguay, Morocco outplayed Brazil for a 1-1 draw, Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 stalemate, Messi lit up the tournament with a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria, and Ronaldo looked off the pace for Portugal in a 1-1 draw. Tunisia sacked its manager after a 5-1 defeat, while New Zealand and Ghana produced eye-catching results and Canada earned its first World Cup point, signaling a dramatic start to the group-stage action.