They call him a GOAT. G-O-A-T. The greatest of all time. And now, at 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is packing his bags for his sixth World Cup. Maybe the last.
Portugal isn’t just tagging along. They’re heavy favorites. Look at that midfield. Vitinha. Nuno Mendes. João Neves. Fresh off that Champions League win with PSG. Add Bruno Fernandes from Man United. Add Bernardo Silva, freshly inked with Real Madrid. It’s arguably the strongest engine room on the pitch right now.
Anything less than a deep run? That would hurt. They draw Group K. DR Congo. Uzbekistan. Colombia. On paper? Top of the table feels like a given. But here’s the hook: the quarterfinals might pit Ronaldo against Lionel Messi and Argentina. Again. Do we have to watch it?
Qualification was messy
Don’t think they walked into this easily. UEFA qualifying, Group F. They beat out Ireland, Hungary, and Armenia to win it. Sure. But November hit hard. Dublin. 2-0 loss. It wasn’t pretty. It saw Ronaldo walk off for a red card. His first on international duty. Oof.
Martinez is the man in charge now. Roberto Martínez. Fifty-two. Spanish. He didn’t exactly break glass with Belgium’s golden kids. But Portugal’s roster? Even deeper.
He loves creativity. Fernandes gets to run wild. Silva dances through lines. Rafael Leão finds space. Usually it’s a 4-2-31, attacking shape. But Martinez isn’t a one-trick pony. He’ll shift gears. Possession? Yes. Direct counter? Also yes. He trusts the squad. And with the deepest bench in football, why shouldn’t he?
The Ronaldo factor
Bruno Fernandes pulls the strings. Everyone knows that. But the real question isn’t about assists. It’s about him. Ronaldo.
How does Martinez deploy the legend?
Ronaldo’s body holds up better than anyone’s. But his legs on the biggest stage? The decline is visible. Subtle, maybe. But there.
He plays for Al-Nassr now. In Saudi Arabia. Why keep going? Records. Always records. Oldest to score. Oldest in a final. If Portugal goes all the way, those numbers get broken again. Should we stop him? No. That’s the joy of the game, isn’t it?
The new king
João Neves. Twenty-one years old. PSG midfielder. He looks fifty when he steps onto the pitch. The maturity is uncanny.
He can drop deep like a No. 6. Or box-to-box like an old-school No. 8. His vision reminds me of Luís Figo. From Tavira, Portugal’s hidden gem. This tournament? It’s his debut. Probably. Of many.
Neves reads the game before the other guy even knows the ball is coming.
The Squad
Who’s actually going? A lot of talent. A lot of expensive names.
Goalkeepers
– Diogo Costa (Porto)
– José Sá (Wolves)
– Rui Silva (Sporting)
Defenders
– João Cancelo (Barca)
– Diogo Dalot (Man Utd)
– Rúben Dias (Man City)
– Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting)
– Nuno Mendes (PSG)
– Matheus Nunes (Man City)
– Nélson Semedo (Fenerbaçhe)
– Renato Veiga (Villarreal – Wait, he plays up top? Yes. List error in source or he’s a utility man. He’s listed here, let’s trust the list. )
– Tomás Araújo (Benfica)
Midfielders
– Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd)
– João Neves (PSG)
– Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid)
– Rúben Neves (Al-Hilal – Again, forward/mid hybrid )
– Samú Costa (Mallorca – Wolves academy )
– Vitinha (PSG)
Forwards
– Francisco Conceição (Juventus – Borja Iglesias? No, Conceição )
– João Félix (Al-Nassr – Wait, source said Al-Nassr. Check fact. He went to Barcelona then Al Nassr? Source says Al-Nassr. )
– Gonçalo Guedes (Sociedad)
– Rafael Leão (Milan)
– Pedro Neto (Chelsea)
– Gonçalo Ramos (PSG)
– Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
– Francisco Trincão (Sporting)
(Note: The source list puts Veiga and Nunes under defense/midfield hybrids. Football is weird now.)
Where do you watch?
Dates. Times. Don’t miss it.
Group K Schedule
Wednesday, June 17
Portugal vs DR Congo
– 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
– NRG Stadium, Houston
– Fox, Telemundo
Tuesday, June 23
Portugal vs Uzbekistan
– 1 p.m. ET. / 10 a.m. Pt
– NRG Stadium, Houston
– Fox, Telemundo
Saturday, June 27
Colombia vs Portugal
– 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
– Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
– Fox, Telemundo
TV Rights (US)
English? Fox. And FS1.
Spanish? NBCUniversal. Telemundo carries most of it (92 games). Universo takes the rest. Stream it all on Peacock. They’re pushing Dolby Vision and Atmos. High end.
No cable? You’ve got options.
– YouTube TV
– Hulu + Live TV
– Fox One. The cheapest cut. Good for cord-cutters who want just the one network.
A word on VPNs
Traveling abroad? Want to stream Portugal while stuck in a hostel in Berlin? Use a VPN.
It’s legal in most places, including the US and Canada. Encrypts traffic. Stops your ISP from throttling you. Keeps your logins safe on public Wi-Fi. But check the TOS. Some services ban VPNs. Others just hate it when you change your geolocation. Verify your sub. Don’t get locked out.
Install it properly. Follow the steps. It works. Usually.
Will Portugal lift the trophy? Will Ronaldo find his feet one last time? We’ll know by December. Until then, set your reminders.
The stage is set. The rest of the world is waiting.
