Portugal are out of the World Cup 2026 after narrowly losing to Spain in the Round of 16, ultimately denying Cristiano Ronaldo the chance to win the quadrennial tournament in his illustrious professional career. Because he’ll be 45 when the next World Cup rolls around, this was likely his last chance.
After exiting the Round of 16, head coach Roberto Martinez has resigned from his head coaching post. The Selecao eventually hired Jorge Jesus as his replacement, and the 71-year-old manager has already worked with Ronaldo, having won the Saudi Pro League at Al-Nassr this past season.
With that said, Portugal will look drastically different in the next finals, where they’re one of the co-hosts, alongside Morocco and Spain. The Selecao will be determined to build their best squad in the next four years to put up a good showing for their fans.
For now, SBOTOP pays homage to the Selecao’s top performers this year.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo finished as the Selecao’s top goalscorer in this year’s finals, which is a remarkable achievement for a 41-year-old. He scored a brace in their 5-0 whacking of Uzbekistan in their second group-stage game. Ronaldo inspired their comeback against Croatia in the Round of 32 by scoring Portugal’s first goal (before Goncalo Ramos scored in stoppage time).
The Al-Nassr striker actually didn’t have a great start to this year’s tournament. Ronaldo received criticism for his profligacy during their 1-1 draw against DR Congo, as several pundits accused him of being selfish during a key second-half sequence. In that instance, he could’ve laid the ball off to Bruno Fernandes instead of trying to score, which would’ve given them the lead.
But he did score twice against Uzbekistan, prompting his famous “Siu” celebration. However, Ronaldo was largely anonymous when Portugal needed him the most in their goalless draw against Colombia. If they won that game, Portugal arguably would’ve had an easier path in the knockouts, per the World Cup 2026 odds.
Ronaldo did find the back of the net twice against Croatia, though his first goal was ruled out for offside. He did okay against La Roja in their final match, but he didn’t have many chances in the final third.
The former Manchester United star ultimately left a legacy in this year’s finals by becoming the first man to score in six World Cups, the oldest player to score a brace in a World Cup game, and becoming Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in the quadrennial tournament (11 goals), leapfrogging Eusebio.
Rafael Leao
Rafael Leao also did well in this year’s World Cup. Despite his meagre totals of one goal and one assist, the AC Milan forward was a regular fixture in the World Cup 2026 highlights reel with his pace and superb ball-handling.
Leao came off the bench in all of their games, except against Croatia. He scored his only goal of the tournament against Uzbekistan with a thunderbolt strike in the 87th minute, and he also hit the woodwork many times.
When he started against the Vatreni, Leao was the highest-graded Portuguese player. He went 47-for-52 in accurate passes, including his wonderfully placed cross for Goncalo Ramos’ late header. The 27-year-old also hit the woodwork and had 72 touches, but he should’ve done better in his duels and defensive contributions.
After emerging as one of Portugal’s standouts, Leao might be ready for a big move this summer. He confirmed he is switching agents and is ready to leave AC Milan, with teams from the Saudi Pro League and Tottenham reportedly on his radar. Leao has a €175 million release clause at AC Milan, but the Rossoneri are reportedly looking to sell him for at least €60 million.
Diogo Costa
Portugal’s defence was quite overlooked in this year’s World Cup. Thanks to goalkeeper Diogo Costa, the Selecao have only conceded three times while scoring eight on the other end.
The Porto man was named Man of the Match in their goalless draw against Colombia, making six key saves, including two inside the box. He also went 15-for-19 on accurate passes, made two clearances, six recoveries, and had 33 touches.
He was also superb during their narrow loss against Spain. Before Mikel Merino scored the winning goal for La Roja during stoppage time, Costa prevented an early chance for Spain, making a double save to thwart Alex Baena and Lamine Yamal’s counterattack in the 16th minute.
At 26, Costa is about to enter his prime, and he’s expected to be Portugal’s No. 1 goalie for the foreseeable future. He could also secure a big transfer this summer, with Chelsea reportedly interested in him.
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