 |
|
June 8, 2026
One last World Cup, one last chance, and Portugal arrive with more than just sentiment behind them. Roberto Martinez’s squad are being backed at around 8/1 by several sportsbooks, with punters already circling value ahead of a tournament that could define Ronaldo’s international career...
Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is set to embark on his final bid to become a World Cup winner with Portugal this summer. Portugal have been well backed by sports bettors in recent weeks, with various sportsbooks rating them as 8/1 shots to lift the trophy. BestBettingBonuses.co.uk has also seen increased search interest from punters comparing promotions across operators, including the linked bwin offer, as bettors look to secure maximum value ahead of the tournament. Early betting action has already seen odds fluctuate slightly as money comes in on the favourites and dark horses alike. While Ronaldo was not at his best in Portugal’s recent 2-1 friendly victory over Chile, he will still fancy his chances of leading his nation to victory this summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo - How much will we see from Ronaldo in the WC?
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez uses an Adaptive Tactical Matrix (ATM) to exploit biggest weaknesses in opposing teams. The system is built on positional play zones, pre-programmed rotations and opponent-specific traps. The 52-year-old also uses positional play to create temporary overloads on the flanks.
Martinez sets up his team in a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 formation, which typically transitions into a 3-1-4-2 or a 2-3-5 in possession and a 5-3-2 in the defensive phase. Portugal’s wing-backs are crucial to his system, helping the wingers overload opponents on the flanks.
Martinez’s approach focuses on winning the ball back quickly in midfield. The players set up in close proximity, allowing them to immediately pressure opponents when possession is lost. His strategy is aggressive and depends heavily on pressure and movement. If the system is executed properly, it could help Portugal make it all the way to the final.
Martinez’s lack of a ‘Plan B’ is widely known to be his major flaw, and it will be intriguing to see how that element plays out at the World Cup.
Portugal’s journey to the World Cup final could take several different paths, but they are guaranteed to face several major challenges whichever route they head down. They have been drawn alongside Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo in Group K, and claiming top spot would secure the most favourable route to the final on July 19...
Portugal would face the third-placed team from either Group D, E, I, J or L in the round of 32. A last-16 meeting with Switzerland would probably be next on the agenda. They could face defending champions Argentina in the quarter-final, England or Brazil in the semi-final, and Spain or France in the final.
Finishing second or third in their group could bring teams such as Croatia, Belgium of Mexico into their pathway, so nothing is going to come easy in North America.
Portugal will head into the World Cup with one of the strongest squads in the tournament. While that increases their chances of making it to the final for the first time, previous history can weigh heavily on teams in their position.
Ronaldo’s last hurrah on the international stage will dominate the headlines, although Portugal no longer entirely reliant on him to deliver in decisive moments. Their 2025 Nations League victory proved they can handle pressure, but overcoming their history of falling short in the World Cup is a different ball-game.
Martinez’s handling of Ronaldo may ultimately make or break Portugal’s bid to win the World Cup. The 41-year-old is inevitably no longer the force of old, so Martinez may need to be selective about the times he uses him.
Portugal have the talent and squad depth needed to win the World Cup, and could feasibly get the job done if Ronaldo sparkles in key moments.
Despite what he has achieved in the sport, it would be fair say that Portugal would be foolish to build their entire strategy around a single player. Ronaldo recently helped Al-Nassr win the Saudi Pro League (SPL) title for the first time in seven years, which shows he has lost none of his winning mentality.
However, the Saudi Pro League does not offer Ronaldo the same level of challenge he will face at the World Cup, which is a factor Martinez must take into consideration. Portugal have never reached a World Cup final, and Ronaldo has never scored in a knockout match at the tournament. Despite this, he is still a game-changer.
Some critics believe that his elite skills may be best suited as an impact substitute, paving the way for other capable players to do the heavy lifting.
Conversely, asking Ronaldo to work his magic for 60 minutes in games before replacing him with younger legs could be the more prudent way to go.
Portugal are one of several teams who have genuine hopes of winning the World Cup this summer. If Cristiano Ronaldo delivers in key moments, they may well lift the trophy.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Portugal is on June 10, against Nigeria, for an international friendly. You can watch Portugal vs Nigeria, Argentina vs Iceland, Peru vs Spain, England vs Costa Rica, Mexico vs South Africa and France vs Northern Ireland, all matches provided from our sports streaming game pages.
Portugal next game:
Portugal vs Nigeria kick-off time (10-06-2026):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 03:45
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 00:15
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+4: 23:45
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+2: 21:45
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+1: 20:45
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 16:45
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 15:45
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 14:45
Sources: ronaldo7.net / uefa.com / bbc.com
