Among the teams being tipped for glory, only one has yet to lift the trophy: . According to , a key figure in Roberto Martinez’s midfield, that could well change this year.
“The dream is to be world champions,” he told FIFA in an in-depth interview. “The key is to focus on what we can do to change the fact that Portugal have never won it and become the first side to bring the coveted World Cup back home.”
The Manchester United maestro has good reason to be optimistic, as this Portuguese squad is built around a generation already regarded as one of the finest in the nation’s history. In 2025, they defeated European champions Spain to clinch the UEFA Nations League title, a significant achievement that also raised expectations.
“We feel good about that,” he explained. “It’s positive for us and it shows there’s confidence in our overall quality and in the calibre of the players representing Portugal right now. We know that we’re a very strong group. We genuinely believe we can have a great World Cup.”
Fernandes’ calmness in the face of pressure is also explained by the rich vein of form of several key players. Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Vitinha are regular starters for a swashbuckling Paris Saint-Germain side that have claimed the last two editions of the UEFA Champions League, while Pedro Neto shone for Chelsea, Rafael Leao impressed for AC Milan, and Bernardo Silva bade farewell to Manchester City after yet another mesmerising campaign.
“It fills me with confidence when I look around and see an incredible team willing to do whatever it takes at any moment,” said the midfield ace, who has scored 28 goals in 87 appearances for the Seleção das Quinas. “It’s not about helping me, but helping everyone reach our final objective.”
Beyond the unquestionable quality throughout the squad, Fernandes highlighted the unwavering connection between the team and the Portuguese faithful.
“They have total belief in us. They believe we’ve got the quality to be the best team in the world, reach the World Cup final and be crowned champions," the 31-year-old noted. “I think we need to take the positives from that and channel it into energy. We have to understand that our people are by our side and genuinely believe in our national team.”
Semi-finalists in 1966, inspired by , and again in 2006 with the imperious Luis Figo leading by example, Portugal are now heading into their ninth FIFA World Cup™ – and their seventh in a row – hoping to go further than previous generations.
To do so, they will rely on a new crop of talent blended with the experience of players who have spent years at the pinnacle of European football. Of course, there is the factor, too. At 41, the Al-Nassr star is preparing for his sixth World Cup (as are and ), a new record. Yet the veteran’s influence extends far beyond what he does on the pitch.
“It’s a huge privilege for us to have Cristiano as a compatriot, a team-mate and a player who can take us closer to winning the World Cup,” said Fernandes, who sees his skipper as a huge source of inspiration.
“I think we can always learn from him,” admitted Portugal’s number 8. “He’s shown his resilience throughout his career. He has that winning mentality, he is never satisfied with what he’s achieved, and he always strives for more. Those are all such positive qualities we’ve taken from his career.”
With his legendary team-mate holding the world record for men’s international appearances (228), Fernandes hopes Ronaldo’s influence on the younger players will be more tangible than ever.
“The fact he’s managed to play for 20 years shows that all of that was, and still is, necessary to perform at the highest level for so long,” said Fernandes. “Those factors go hand in hand with the talent he’s shown over the years. More than anything, I hope he can replicate that with us at the World Cup, helping us as he’s always done, scoring more goals and taking us closer to our objective.”
Portugal will put both their status as one of the favourites and Ronaldo’s influence to the test in , alongside Colombia, Congo DR and Uzbekistan.
The showdown with La Tricolor in Miami on 27 June is one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the expanded group stage. If both sides live up to their billing, the Matchday 3 encounter could well determine top spot in the section.
“ are obviously a very strong team,” warned Fernandes. “We know the problems they can cause us, and they’ve got some great players. More and more Colombians are competing in the best leagues in the world. There will be no easy matches at the World Cup, no matter who we play.”
Martinez’s charges will kick off their campaign against on 17 June before squaring off against six days later.
Sources: FIFA Official
