Ronaldo Leads Portugal in His Sixth World Cup, Colombia Rely on Díaz

Darwin, 11 June : Cristiano Ronaldo is set to feature in a record sixth World Cup, leading a highly talented Portugal squad. The team will enter the tournament aiming for their first-ever World Cup title on football’s biggest stage.

Under coach Roberto Martínez, Portugal are among the favorites in Group K. Their opponents in the group are DR Congo, World Cup debutants Uzbekistan, and a strong Colombia side.

Ronaldo and long-time rival Lionel Messi are both set to make history in this World Cup, becoming the first footballers to appear in six editions of the tournament.

Since his debut at the 2006 World Cup, where Portugal finished fourth, Ronaldo—now the highest international goal scorer in history with 143 goals—has often fallen short of winning major trophies with the national team.

Now 41 years old, some critics believe Ronaldo’s presence has limited Portugal’s ability to fully realize their potential in recent tournaments. He has failed to score in his last nine matches across the World Cup and European Championship. In the 2022 World Cup, then-coach Fernando Santos even dropped him to the bench in favor of Gonçalo Ramos.

However, Martínez continues to trust Ronaldo, and there is justification for that confidence. Last year, Ronaldo scored in all three knockout matches—quarter-final, semi-final, and final—as Portugal defeated Spain on penalties to win the UEFA Nations League.

He also scored five goals in five World Cup qualifying matches, although he received a red card against Ireland. Unlike most players, his suspension was reduced to just one match.

Another reason for supporting Ronaldo is Portugal’s lack of reliable attacking alternatives. However, their greatest strength may lie in their world-class midfield, featuring PSG duo Vitinha and João Neves, along with Premier League stars Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.

Meanwhile, Colombia’s experienced star James Rodríguez leads the team. He rose to global fame 12 years ago with his outstanding World Cup performances.

Although his club career has declined in recent years, the 34-year-old remains an important part of the Colombian squad. Two years ago, Colombia reached the Copa América final and finished third in the South American qualifiers. However, their current standout star is Luis Díaz, who arrives at the World Cup after the best season of his career with Bayern Munich. Colombia matches are expected to be among the most in-demand tickets, boosted by strong support from expatriate fans.

As a result, it will be even more difficult for Uzbekistan and DR Congo to challenge the two favorites, Portugal and Colombia.

Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov is the most recognizable player in the Uzbekistan squad, although most of their players compete in domestic leagues. Their bench, however, includes World Cup-winning coach Fabio Cannavaro, who captained Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning team.

DR Congo, meanwhile, last appeared at the World Cup 52 years ago when the country was known as Zaire. They exited the tournament without a single point or goal.

This time, however, they have players such as Yoane Wissa, Noah Sadiki, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and their aim is to secure their first-ever World Cup win.

Coach Sébastien Desabre’s team qualified by defeating Cameroon and Nigeria in the playoffs.