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June 9, 2026
The World Cup is the one prize still missing from Cristiano Ronaldo’s extraordinary career. With Portugal heading into the 2026 tournament with a talented squad and Ronaldo nearing the end of his international journey, the question feels bigger than ever: can he finally win it?
Cristiano Ronaldo has a truly impressive, illustrious career, with only one trophy missing from his collection. The upcoming 2026 World Cup is expected to be Ronaldo’s last chance at the most significant trophy in the world of football, where he and the Portuguese national team will have added motivation to succeed. For decades, Ronaldo has showcased brilliance on the football pitch, lifting numerous club titles across different leagues, demonstrating his adaptability. Whilst winning many major trophies over the course of his career, the passing of each World Cup those who look at betting on the FIFA World Cup may ask: can Ronaldo finally grab the ultimate trophy?
Cristiano Ronaldo - What if he wins the World Cup 2026?
In his long-lasting career, Ronaldo has become widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. Ronaldo had a challenging upbringing, being born into poverty, and assisting the family in any way, where the infamous sweet sweeping video was created. Ronaldo was introduced to football in his youth by his father, who was the kit man at Andorinha, where Ronaldo would play from 1992 to 1995. Ronaldo signed for the Sporting CP youth system in 1997 after a successful three-day trial, which saw Ronaldo move from Madeira to Lisbon. After impressing through the ranks at Sporting, Ronaldo was promoted to the first team at age 17, where he made his debut in a UEFA Champions League qualifying round. Shortly after, he became a regular in the first team, attracting attention from some of Europe's giants.
Manchester United signed Ronaldo for £12 million, and his career journey would only just begin. He was instantly awarded the number 7 shirt, which had been worn by some of the world's best-ever players over the years. During his time at Manchester United, Ronaldo quickly settled into English football, winning three Premier League titles and his first Ballon d'Or.
Ronaldo transferred to Real Madrid in 2009 in a deal that would break the transfer fee record, estimated at around £80 million. Ronaldo quickly settled into his new life in the capital of Spain, scoring over 30 goals in all competitions. Over time, he would only get better for Real Madrid, winning the Champions League four times and, on a personal note, the Ballon d'Or a further four times.
Juventus signed Ronaldo in 2018 for €100 million, despite being over 30. Ronaldo continued to impress at Juventus, showcasing his longevity and adding to his legacy. Ronaldo continued to score an incredible number of goals in his time at Juventus, contributing to winning two league titles.
Despite having yet to win the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo contributed to Portugal's glory by winning the 2016 EUROS. Ronaldo contributed massively to the campaign, scoring the second-most goals in the tournament.
Ronaldo has featured in numerous World Cup editions, with each tournament seeing Portugal and Ronaldo fall short of the ultimate goal. His debut tournament in 2006 was his best finish to date, after reaching the semi-finals, in which he became the youngest Portuguese player to score at a FIFA World Cup. Following this early promise for Ronaldo and Portugal, their best result since 2006 came at the 2022 World Cup, where they exited in the quarter-finals.
Despite not reaching glory in the World Cup, Ronaldo's longevity in the tournament has contributed to his legacy, having played in 5 tournaments, soon to be 6. In his past World Cup campaigns, Ronaldo has set the record for the most goals in different tournaments, scoring in every edition he has played in.
With this edition of the tournament expected to be his last, it is the final chance for Ronaldo to claim gold. The current Portuguese national team squad is full of quality, featuring many players from top European clubs and an interesting mix of experience and young talent.
While it is expected to be a challenging journey, through defensive solidarity and attacking prowess, Portugal could make a late dive in the tournament. If Portugal were to achieve triumph in this edition of the tournament, Ronaldo would play a large role, both in individual performances and as a leader. As Ronaldo will be one of the oldest players in the tournament, it will be important for him to lead Portugal with experience, even if he is not the starting striker for the nation. Despite his physical abilities declining, Ronaldo is still scoring at an effective rate at the club level, having scored over 125 goals since joining Al Nassr FC in 2023.
Portugal has arguably one of their strongest squads since their triumph in 2016, including some truly elite players. The PSG trio of Vitinha, João Neves, and Nuno Mendes enter the World Cup after another successful season at the club level, and will be expected to play a huge role if Portugal were to achieve success. If Bruno Fernandes can replicate his form in the Premier League for Manchester United, the Portuguese attack will not be short of chances, and with Ronaldo’s clinical finishing, could prove to be one of their strengths.
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 / theguardian.com / espn.co.uk
