Carles Puyol, a renowned figure from Barcelona, has voiced his strong belief in Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese national team’s potential to secure the FIFA World Cup in 2026. The 2010 World Cup winner, Puyol, pointed to their impressive performance, including the UEFA Nations League victory, under the guidance of Roberto Martinez. When directly asked about Ronaldo’s chances of leading Portugal to its first World Cup title, Puyol gave a positive response.
Puyol said, “Yes, I think so. They have a very strong national team. Their players are at top clubs and have won many titles. They are very competitive, and their coach is excellent… They are a formidable team.”
He continued, “He (Ronaldo) takes excellent care of himself. Football is his life. His statistics as a centre forward tell the whole story.”
At the 2022 World Cup, Portugal showed both promise and inconsistency. They began with a 3-2 win over Ghana, where Ronaldo, Joao Felix, and Rafael Leao were key. They also beat Uruguay 2-0, thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ goals. However, a 2-1 loss to South Korea created uncertainty. Portugal then dominated Switzerland in the Round of 16, winning 6-1, with Goncalo Ramos scoring a hat-trick. Ultimately, their journey ended in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 loss to Morocco.