Shafaq News- Lisbon

Portugal has the quality to compete for the 2026 FIFA World Cup title, Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo stated on Friday.

Ronaldo, 41, said ahead of departure to the United States that he remains confident in the current generation of national team’s players and their ability to compete at the highest level. We arrive with hope," he noted.

When asked about his fitness, Ronaldo replied, "Haven't you been watching the games?" adding that friendly matches should not be viewed as a definitive measure of a team's prospects. He dismissed concerns about his physical condition ahead of what is expected to be the sixth and final World Cup of his career.

Portugal will begin its Group K campaign against the Democratic Republic of the Congo before facing Uzbekistan and Colombia.