Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 41, will participate in his record sixth World Cup in 2026 after being named in Portugal's 27-man squad by coach Roberto Martinez on May 19, 2026. The squad also includes a symbolic '+1' to honor late forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident in July 2025. Martinez said, "He is our strength, our joy. Losing Diogo was an unforgettable and very difficult moment, but the very next day it was up to all of us to fight for Diogo's dream and for the example he always set in our national team. Diogo Jota's spirit, strength and example are the +1 and will always be the +1" [1].
Ronaldo holds the men's all-time international records with 226 appearances and 143 goals. He has scored in all five previous World Cups he played in and aims to become the first man to play in six World Cups. Ronaldo currently plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, where he has been since January 2023 [2, 3, 4].
Portugal will face the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia in Group K of the 2026 World Cup. Their opening match is scheduled for June 17, 2026, in Houston against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The group stage will conclude with a match against Colombia in Miami on June 27, 2026 [1, 2, 5].
Coach Roberto Martinez named 27 players plus a symbolic '+1.' Four goalkeepers made the squad, including fourth-choice Ricardo Velho, who will travel with the team but can only be registered if an injury occurs. Martinez stressed the squad's versatility, noting, "The complexity of the tournament is very important – the demands of the weather, the time zone, everything we already experienced in March. There are positions where we need to have more than two players per position. And we need five fullbacks" [1].
Portugal will play two warm-up friendlies before the tournament: on June 6 against Chile in Oeiras and on June 10 against Nigeria in Leiria [1, 6].
Ronaldo told CNN in November 2025 that the 2026 World Cup will likely be his last [2, 7].
