Key Takeaways
- Coach: Roberto Martínez is Portugal’s head coach in FIFA’s official 2026 squad list.
- World Cup 2026: second in Group K, a 2-1 win over Croatia in the round of 32, then a 1-0 loss to Spain in the round of 16.
- Record: played 5, won 2, drawn 2, lost 1, with 8 goals scored and 3 conceded in the tournament.
- Ranking: 7th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking (update of 20 July 2026).
Short answer: Portugal, coached by Roberto Martínez, reached the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. They finished second in Group K, beat Croatia 2-1 in the round of 32, then lost 1-0 to Spain in Dallas. Cristiano Ronaldo scored three goals, and Portugal are 7th in the FIFA ranking.
How did Portugal do at the 2026 World Cup?
Portugal played five matches at the tournament in the United States. They went through a group that Colombia won, then went out to Spain, the eventual champions, after a goal in stoppage time. All results below come from FIFA’s official match data.
| Date | Stage | Match | Result | Portugal scorers | Venue (attendance) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 June 2026 | Group K | Portugal v Congo DR | 1-1 | João Neves 6′ | Houston Stadium (68,777) |
| 23 June 2026 | Group K | Portugal v Uzbekistan | 5-0 | Cristiano Ronaldo 6′ and 39′, Nuno Mendes 17′, Rafael Leão 87′, own goal (Abduvohid Nematov) 60′ | Houston Stadium (68,777) |
| 27 June 2026 | Group K | Colombia v Portugal | 0-0 | None | Miami Stadium (64,478) |
| 2 July 2026 | Round of 32 | Portugal v Croatia | 2-1 | Cristiano Ronaldo 68′, Gonçalo Ramos 90’+4′ | Toronto Stadium (43,036) |
| 6 July 2026 | Round of 16 | Portugal v Spain | 0-1 | None | Dallas Stadium (70,649) |
Congo DR equalised through Yoane Wissa in first-half stoppage time (45’+5′), and Croatia’s goal was scored by Ivan Perišić in the 53rd minute. Spain won the round of 16 match through Mikel Merino in the 91st minute (90’+1′).
Where did Portugal finish in Group K?
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colombia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 7 |
| 2 | Portugal | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 5 |
| 3 | Congo DR | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 0 |
Portugal did not lose a group match and conceded one goal, but two draws left them behind Colombia on points. The full draw and all 12 groups are on our World Cup 2026 groups and teams page, and the schedule is on World Cup 2026 fixtures, dates and results.
Who was in Portugal’s 2026 World Cup squad?
FIFA’s official squad list names 26 players for Portugal. Positions below are the labels used by FIFA, and shirt numbers are those on the list.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers (3) | Diogo Costa (1), José Sá (12), Rui Silva (22) |
| Defenders (9) | Nelson Semedo (2), Rúben Dias (3), Tomás Araújo (4), Diogo Dalot (5), Renato Veiga (13), Gonçalo Inácio (14), João Cancelo (20), Samu Costa (24), Nuno Mendes (25) |
| Midfielders (6) | Matheus Nunes (6), Bruno Fernandes (8), Bernardo Silva (10), João Neves (15), Rúben Neves (21), Vitinha (23) |
| Forwards (8) | Cristiano Ronaldo (7), Gonçalo Ramos (9), João Félix (11), Francisco Trincão (16), Rafael Leão (17), Pedro Neto (18), Gonçalo Guedes (19), Francisco Conceição (26) |
The oldest player on the list is Cristiano Ronaldo (born 5 February 1985). The youngest by date of birth are João Neves (27 September 2004) and Renato Veiga (29 July 2003).
What formation did Portugal play?
FIFA’s match data lists Portugal in a 4-2-3-1 in all five of their matches. The line-ups below are the starting XIs as recorded by FIFA.
| Match | Formation | Defence | Midfield and attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| v Congo DR | 4-2-3-1 | Araújo, Veiga, Cancelo, Nuno Mendes | Fernandes, B. Silva, J. Neves, Vitinha, Ronaldo, Pedro Neto (goalkeeper: Diogo Costa) |
| v Uzbekistan | 4-2-3-1 | Rúben Dias, Veiga, Cancelo, Nuno Mendes | Fernandes, J. Neves, Vitinha, Ronaldo, João Félix, Pedro Neto (goalkeeper: Diogo Costa) |
| v Colombia | 4-2-3-1 | Rúben Dias, Veiga, Cancelo, Nuno Mendes | Fernandes, Rúben Neves, Vitinha, Ronaldo, João Félix, Pedro Neto (goalkeeper: Diogo Costa) |
| v Croatia | 4-2-3-1 | Rúben Dias, Veiga, Cancelo, Nuno Mendes | Fernandes, J. Neves, Vitinha, Ronaldo, Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto (goalkeeper: Diogo Costa) |
| v Spain | 4-2-3-1 | Rúben Dias, Veiga, Cancelo, Nuno Mendes | Fernandes, J. Neves, Vitinha, Ronaldo, João Félix, Pedro Neto (goalkeeper: Diogo Costa) |
Diogo Costa, Renato Veiga, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Pedro Neto and Cristiano Ronaldo started all five matches. Rúben Dias started the last four at centre-back, with Tomás Araújo starting the opener. Rafael Leão and Gonçalo Ramos, who scored in the 5-0 and 2-1 wins respectively, both came on as substitutes. For another national team’s results in the same competition format, see the England national football team standings.
Who scored for Portugal at the World Cup?
| Player | Goals | Matches scored in |
|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 3 | Uzbekistan (2), Croatia (1) |
| João Neves | 1 | Congo DR |
| Nuno Mendes | 1 | Uzbekistan |
| Rafael Leão | 1 | Uzbekistan |
| Gonçalo Ramos | 1 | Croatia |
| Own goal by Uzbekistan’s Abduvohid Nematov | 1 | Uzbekistan |
Ronaldo’s three goals put him 28th in FIFA’s tournament top scorers list; the full list is on our World Cup top scorers page. The final, in which Portugal’s conquerors Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time, is covered in our World Cup 2026 final report.
Who coaches Portugal and where do they rank?
Roberto Martínez (born 13 July 1973, Spain) is listed as head coach in FIFA’s squad data for Portugal. In the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, Portugal are 7th in the update published on 20 July 2026; the next update is scheduled for 18 November 2026. Back to the FootGoal home page for more national team coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Portugal’s head coach?
Roberto Martínez, who is listed as head coach in FIFA’s official 2026 World Cup squad list for Portugal. He led the team through the tournament, which ended with a 1-0 round of 16 defeat to Spain.
How far did Portugal go at the 2026 World Cup?
Portugal finished second in Group K behind Colombia, beat Croatia 2-1 in the round of 32 in Toronto, and lost 1-0 to Spain in the round of 16 in Dallas. Spain went on to win the final.
What is Portugal’s FIFA ranking?
Portugal is 7th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, according to the update of 20 July 2026 on inside.fifa.com. The next update is scheduled for 18 November 2026.
Did Cristiano Ronaldo play at the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. He started all five Portugal matches and scored three goals, according to FIFA’s official statistics. His goals came against Uzbekistan (two) and Croatia (one).
What formation did Portugal use at the 2026 World Cup?
FIFA’s match data lists Portugal in a 4-2-3-1 in all five of their matches at the tournament.
How many players were in Portugal’s World Cup squad?
FIFA’s official squad list has 26 players: 3 goalkeepers, 9 defenders, 6 midfielders and 8 forwards, using FIFA’s position labels.
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