2026 World Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo, mocked on social media, isn’t giving up: “Haven’t you seen the last few games?”
At a press conference from Portugal’s training camp, Cristiano Ronaldo expressed confidence ahead of the team’s 2026 World Cup opener, scheduled for June 17 against the Democratic Republic of the Congo: “We’re heading into this with great joy; we know the World Cup is always a special competition, and we’re going in with high hopes.”.
Many have criticized and mocked CR7 on social media for his performances in recent friendlies, but the 41-year-old Portuguese star is unfazed: “How am I physically? I’m fine—didn’t you see the games? The preparation was tough because we worked hard. The wins have come, but the most important thing is when the ball starts rolling on the 17th, in the first match.”
“Then, when things get tough, that’s when we’ll see the true champions. It will depend on many factors; I’m very confident that everything will go well. The important thing is to finish first in the group, then take it game by game, step by step, calmly, building confidence and finding our rhythm,” continued the former striker for Juventus, Manchester United, and Real Madrid.
On a possible World Cup victory: “We’ll only know at the end. This is a very strong generation, but there are factors we can’t control. I do believe, however, that this is a national team that will bring a lot of joy to the Portuguese people.”
Portugal, ranked fifth in the FIFA rankings, is making its ninth overall World Cup appearance, its seventh in a row. Despite a generation brimming with talent—with Ronaldo as the undisputed star of the past two decades—the Seleção das Quinas’ best result remains third place in the 1966 tournament, when the great Eusebio was only defeated by England, the eventual champion. In the 2022 tournament in Qatar, the Portuguese were eliminated in the quarterfinals, surprisingly knocked out by Morocco.
