It’s been ten years since Portugal won a major international tournament, and as another FIFA World Cup approaches, time is ticking for their golden generation.
Portugal’s struggle to repeat 2016 glory
Euro 2016 was the last time Portugal won a major international tournament, and it hasn’t come close to reaching a final since.
They went out in the round of 16 in Russia 2018. At Euro 2021, they went out in the quarter-finals; at the Qatar World Cup, they went out in the quarter-finals; and at Euro 2024, it was the same result.
Portugal has gone one better in recent years but hasn’t reached the same heights as in the 2016 European Championship, when they beat France in extra time.
They did win the 2025 UEFA Nations League, but it doesn’t have the same prestige as a European Championship or World Cup, since it’s a tournament practice for elite European national teams.
It was the second time they won it, having won the inaugural tournament in 2019. Still, they haven’t been able to use that tournament experience as a confidence boost going into major international tournaments.
Pressure on Portugal’s golden generation to deliver
We’ve seen England and Belgium’s golden generations fail to win the World Cup. Portugal’s World Cup squad for 2026 will include elite players, particularly in midfield and defence.
You have the PSG Partnership of Joao Neves and Joao Vitinha, who most recently won the Champions League final alongside the top assist maker in the Premier League this season, Bruno Fernandes, as well as Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, to name a few.
A strong defence with players such as Ruben Dias, Matheus Nunes, Joao Cancelo and Nuno Mendes. They have all the tools to succeed, but will they finally be able to capitalise?
As good as their depth in midfield and defence is, the one area where they are lacking is a consistent number nine. Uncertainty surrounds Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo after they played in the Saudi Pro League, where the competition and intensity aren’t the same as in the Premier League or other European leagues.
Goncalo Ramos, meanwhile, hasn’t started regularly for PSG this season, at times being an unused substitute, which raises uncertainty about his match fitness and performance, given that he has only managed six goals in Ligue 1 and made three appearances in the Champions League.
Big questions surround Portugal heading into this World Cup, and big pressure too, considering it is their most balanced squad in some time. Now, the big question is whether they can deliver and whether Ronaldo will finally get his hands on the Jules Rimet trophy.
