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February 25, 2025
The clock is ticking and everyone is getting ready to what could very well be Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup of his football career. The US, Canada and Mexico will be home to the biggest tournament in the game and Portugal will be one of the favorites to clinch the the title.
There is very little that Cristiano Ronaldo has not won. He has won La Liga, English Premier League, and Serie A titles alongside a number of other cup competitions in Europe and the Middle East. He has also tasted international success, leading Portugal to European Championship and Nations League success. But there is one very important trophy he is yet to lift aloft. The FIFA World Cup is undoubtedly the biggest prize in international football and the closest Portugal – and Ronaldo – has come to winning this most prestigious competition is when they finished fourth in 2006. In the almost 20 years since, the quarterfinals stage is as far as Portugal has managed. The 2026 World Cup will take place in the US, Canada, and Mexico and many football fans will be looking at a sportsbook review or two to find out the best place for betting on the main event. Portugal is not even assured a place at the World Cup yet but it will probably be the last chance for Ronaldo to complete his set of titles. Could CR7 finish his career on the ultimate high?
Cristiano Ronaldo - The most legendary skills
International football fans are now gearing up for the next set of games scheduled to take place towards the end of March. The last international break was in November 2024 and some pundits were surprised when it was announced that Cristiano Ronaldo and a number of other top players would miss the final game against Croatia.
For a moment it seemed as though Ronaldo’s international career may have abruptly ended quietly. But Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez was quick to explain that, with Portugal already assured of a place in the final round of Nations League football, he was going to give some younger players some much-needed experience.
Portugal had thrashed Poland 5-1 just days earlier and there was no need for the most experienced players in the squad to exert themselves against what would be an aggressive Croatia side. Ronaldo was allowed to rest up before joining back up with his Al Nassr teammates. CR7 immediately confirmed that he was not retiring from international football and that he looked forward to leading the team into World Cup qualification in 2025.
The path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is still a little unclear for Portugal and Ronaldo. The draw for the qualifying groups has been made but who Portugal will play all depends on how the Seleção get on in the Nations League quarterfinals. When most national sides in Europe are kicking off their qualification campaigns in March, Portugal will be playing Denmark for a place in the Nations League semifinals.
Once Portugal’s quarterfinal games are played, we will know which World Cup qualifying group it will be placed in. Either option does not seem as if it will cause Ronaldo too many sleepless nights. If Portugal beats Denmark, it will be grouped with Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, and Armenia. If it loses, Portugal will play Greece, Scotland, and Belarus.
Those two potential qualifying groups are remarkably similar when it comes to the standard of play. Portugal would be very confident of finishing top after playing home and away games – and the group winners are the only team who automatically qualify for the World Cup finals. If Portugal were to finish in second place, it would need to navigate the playoffs to make it to North America in 2026.
It would be a huge surprise if Portugal failed to qualify for the World Cup finals next year. It has managed to make it to the last six tournaments, with the 1998 France World Cup being the last one where Portugal failed to feature. It should be noted that Cristiano Ronaldo had yet to make his debut at that point.
Qualification campaigns have only just started across the world, so the only teams guaranteed a place at next year’s finals are the host countries – Canada, Mexico, and the US. But many of the top teams in the world have been ever-present over the last few decades and Portugal is definitely at that level.
There will be some other national teams who will be considered more likely champions in 2026 though. England, France, Brazil, and Spain are all fancied – and that is before we take into account the current reigning champion, Argentina. On its day, Portugal is a match for any of those teams – even at their very best – but Ronaldo and his teammates will need to be ready for the challenge.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first major football star to make the move to Saudi Arabia in 2022. Many have followed and his initial contract was scheduled to finish in 2025. But it does seem as though CR7 will now finish his club career in the Middle East and the standard of football seems perfect for him to keep up his own demanding level of play, as well as prepare him for a possible final chance of glory at the 2026 World Cup.
Ronaldo will be 41 by the time the tournament comes around. His lifestyle and dedication to healthy living means that he will still be in good shape for what may well be one last attempt at winning a prestigious title.
There is no guarantee that Portugal will be able to win the tournament next year. But it will be in with a good shout and Cristiano Ronaldo will be doing everything he can to win one final winner’s medal. Now, that would be the perfect ending to one of the finest football careers in the history of the game.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al Nassr is on February 28, against Al Orubah for the Saudi Pro League. You can watch Al Orubah vs Al Nassr, Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid, Liverpool vs Newcastle, Manchester United vs Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal and Tottenham vs Manchester City, all matches provided from our live football game pages.
Al Nassr next game:
Al Orubah vs Al Nassr kick-off time (28-02-2025):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+7: 02:00
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+4.30: 23:30
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+2: 21:00
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 20:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 19:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 16:00
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 15:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 12:00
Sources: ronaldo7.net / imdb.com / bbc.co.uk
