The Portugal players ready to make a difference at the 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

João Neves and Bruno Fernandes both scored hat-tricks in Portugal’s final World Cup qualifier against Armenia. Photo: Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images

The World Cup is almost here. The squads have all been decided, and the teams are now starting to prepare for the biggest tournament in world sport. The Portuguese squad has also been selected, and it's one of the best the country has ever assembled.

The squad is obviously headlined by Cristiano Ronaldo, as the 41-year-old heads to his 6th World Cup. He’ll be central to any storyline that Portugal inherit at this tournament, and will be one of the biggest stories of the summer, whether he plays or not.

But there’s plenty of other players that will make or break Portugal’s tournament in Canada, the USA and Mexico. Here’s a list of players that will be crucial to Portugal’s chances at the 2026 World Cup.

Four players who will make or break Portugal’s chances at the 2026 World Cup

Bruno Fernandes

If there is one player who embodies the shift in Portugal’s identity, from a side built around one man to a genuinely collective force, it is Bruno Fernandes. The Manchester United captain has just completed one of the greatest individual seasons in Premier League history, breaking the all-time assists record with 21 and winning Player of the Season.

At 31 and in the form of his life, Fernandes arrives at this World Cup not as one of Ronaldo’s supporting acts, but as Portugal’s heartbeat. His great form is partly the reason Portugal are among the favourites among bookmakers, and you can use a stake code to get involved in betting on the World Cup.

João Neves

At 21, João Neves already plays like a seasoned tournament winner, which in fairness he is. The PSG midfielder, fresh from lifting another Champions League trophy this past weekend, has also accumulated the Ligue 1 title (twice), the UEFA Nations League and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in the past two seasons alone.

Neves acts as a central lynchpin for PSG, and will do the same with Portugal. Along with his teammate Vintinha, they form one of the best midfields in the tournament. Neves rarely tires, and controls a midfield in attack and in defence. At 21, he’s already indispensable to this side.

Rafael Leão

Rafael Leão has been relatively out of form for AC Milan this year. However, despite his drop off, he’s still a player who can turn a game on its head in one moment. The AC Milan forward finished as his club’s top scorer this season with nine Serie A goals, and offers something no other player in the Portugal squad quite replicates.

That combination of pace, power and technique makes defenders back off before he has even touched the ball. At 6’2’’, he looks built more for American football than football, yet he is capable of producing moments of the most delicate skill; Leão at his best is unplayable.

Rúben Dias

Every team that wins a World Cup has a defensive cornerstone, a player whose influence is most felt in what does not happen. For Portugal, that player is Rúben Dias. The Manchester City captain has spent the last two months recovering from a hamstring injury, and his fitness remains the most significant question in Roberto Martínez’s preparations.

He has been included in the squad and the expectation is that he will be ready. When he is, Portugal’s entire defensive structure becomes more commanding. He organises, he leads and he competes at the very highest level. With Dias fit, Portugal’s defence is seriously levelled up. Watch out for his return.