German Legend Predicts Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal to Lift the 2026 World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the greatest goalscorer in soccer history, holding the men's records for both international appearances and goals. Yet a World Cup trophy remains the one major omission from his glittering résumé, and a former German World Cup winner believes he could finally end that wait in 2026.
Ronaldo and Portugal reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar but suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Morocco. The star forward finished the tournament with just one goal, a penalty, and left the pitch in tears in what many expected to be his final World Cup appearance.
However, Ronaldo has continued to perform at an elite level, both for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia and for Portugal. He has scored 10 goals in his last 10 international appearances, and with one of the tournament's strongest squads around him, expectations are high once again.
Former Germany star Jürgen Klinsmann is among those backing Portugal and sees similarities between the team's current outlook and Argentina's triumphant run in Qatar.
"My two favorites are Portugal because I see a little bit of similarities to Argentina in Qatar, where everybody played for [Lionel] Messi. [In] Portugal, everybody plays for Ronaldo," Klinsmann said before naming Brazil as his second favorite.
"Cristiano is fully supported by this incredible team. It's an incredible team of quality with a very, very good coach, Roberto Martinez."
Neither Ronaldo nor Martinez has publicly discussed retirement plans, but at 41, this is widely expected to be Ronaldo's final World Cup campaign. As the face of Portuguese soccer for nearly two decades, the team would be doing everything to give him a triumphant farewell.
On paper, Portugal boasts one of the strongest squads in the tournament. Bruno Fernandes enters the competition after setting a Premier League record with 21 assists during the 2025-26 season, while Vitinha arrives fresh off a UEFA Champions League final Man of the Match performance.
The team also features a talented defense led by Rúben Dias and João Cancelo, while Ronaldo headlines an attacking group that includes Bernardo Silva and João Félix.
It is a balanced squad with depth, experience, and players entering the peak years of their careers. Ronaldo will remain the focal point, and if he can produce a tournament similar to Lionel Messi's Golden Ball-winning campaign in 2022, Portugal will have every reason to believe they can lift their first World Cup trophy.
A potential quarterfinal showdown with Messi and defending champions Argentina could stand in their way. If Portugal can overcome that challenge, expectations around Ronaldo and his teammates will only grow as they chase soccer's biggest prize.
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 9:15 AM.