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Cristiano Ronaldo steps onto the NRG Stadium in Houston this Wednesday with a mission he has pursued throughout his career: to lift the World Cup. Portugal debuts in the against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Group K, in what could be the Portuguese star's last chance to conquer the only major trophy that remains absent from his accolades.
At the age of 41, Ronaldo confirmed in November 2025 that this will be his final World Cup: "For sure, it's true because I will be 41 years old." The forward heads to his sixth World Cup—matching a historic record of appearances—after becoming the champion of the Saudi league with Al-Nassr and with 973 official goals in his career, just 27 away from the 1,000 milestone.
In his five previous World Cups, Ronaldo has scored seven goals in 22 matches and is the only player to have scored in five different editions of the tournament: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. However, the title has always eluded him. In Qatar 2022, Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Morocco, with Ronaldo coming off the bench, an image that still stings in Portuguese football.
The team led by Spanish coach Roberto Martínez arrives in Houston as one of the strongest squads in the tournament, with a roster valued at around 1.020 billion euros. The defense rests on the shoulders of Rúben Dias, while Bernardo Silva once again takes on the role of creative reference in his third World Cup, with the ongoing challenge of scoring for the first time in a World Cup.
Another proper name is Vitinha, midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain, who arrives at the tournament after winning the last two editions of the Champions League as a key player for the Parisian team. Portugal prepared for the tournament in Palm Beach, Florida, where Ronaldo was seen relaxing on the beach on June 14, just days before the debut.
In front will be a Democratic Republic of the Congo that returns to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when it participated under the name Zaire with a record of three losses, zero goals scored, and 14 against, including a crushing defeat of 9-0 against Yugoslavia.
Their return comes 52 years later, following a historic qualification that included eliminating Nigeria in the African playoff and defeating Jamaica 1-0 in extra time with a goal from Axel Tuanzebe, at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, on March 31, 2026.
Although Portugal is the clear favorite, the Congolese hope to pull off one of the tournament's early surprises by leveraging the pressure on the Europeans.
After their debut against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Portugal will complete their group stage against Uzbekistan on June 23 in Houston and against Colombia on June 27 in Miami, with Ronaldo pursuing the only title that still eludes him.
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