11/06/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | JUNE 11, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

Group K C RISTIANO RONALDO heads to a record sixth World Cup blessed with a prodigiously talented group of teammates as Portugal target glory for the first time on the global stage. Roberto Martinez’s side are strong favourites to progress from Group K where they face DR Congo and tournament debutants Uzbekistan before the tricky test of Colombia.

Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo, Uzbekistan

Portugal carry hot streak, baggage PORTUGAL will roll into the World

going into the unknown,” Martinez said. “Forty-eight teams means a longer period. You need to have incredible resilience... You don’t prepare for iconic moments — you prepare the team to perform under any circumstances. “Anything that we’ve done until now just gives you three games in a World Cup. It doesn’t give you anything,” he said. “You

quarterfinals, Ronaldo scored only once and was dropped by then coach Fernando Santos for the knockout win over Switzerland after a 2-1 loss to South Korea in the final group game. Santos departed and Martinez arrived in January 2023, bringing the experience of leading Belgium’s gilded generation to the 2018 World Cup semifinals and Euro 2020 quarterfinals. The change has refreshed Portugal. They reached the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 and beat European champions Spain in last year’s Nations League final, sharpening belief before their trip across the Atlantic. Martinez’s record has been close to spotless. In 36 matches, he

“The complexity of playing with different time zones, with playing with the heat, the humidity, almost moments of uncertainty when you get the storms,” he said. “There are many aspects that are very, very different how the game is played under those circumstances than what we do in Europe. “A World Cup is something that you’re never prepared to be successful. It’s almost you have to find a way in that journey,” Martinez said. “The opponent plays a part, what happens in the game plays a part, luck plays a part.” Asked about Carlo Ancelotti’s view that the most resilient team often wins rather than the best, Martinez agreed. “The difference will be a penalty shootout, a good decision in the final third, a bit of luck that the ball hits a post and it goes in or hits a post and it goes out,” he said. “In a World Cup, you need to have sometimes attributes that are not related to talent. It’s the team margins are minimal. With 48 teams and three countries, the margins are going to be even smaller.” Portugal begin their Group K campaign against Democratic Republic of Congo before facing Uzbekistan and Colombia. On paper, they have the form, firepower and midfield to go deep in the tournament. The hard part is proving this golden cast can finally turn promise into the biggest prize of all. values, that resilience, that knowing how to suffer. The

COLOMBIA return to the World Cup after an eight-year absence counting on forward Luis Diaz to meet high expectations following a season in which he was directly involved in more than 40 goals for Bayern Munich. After failing to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Colombia appointed Nestor Lorenzo for his first international head-coaching job, tasking the 60-year-old Argentine with building a physically strong, attack-minded side centred on Diaz. They secured third place in the South American qualifiers, scoring fewer goals only than reigning world champions Argentina, with Diaz netting seven times in the campaign, one behind top scorer Lionel Messi. The Cafeteros , as they are nicknamed in the nation known for its high-quality coffee, defeated both Brazil and Argentina in qualifying and finished runners-up to Argentina at the 2024 Copa America – their best result since winning it in 2001. Their home win over Brazil in late 2023 came at an especially delicate time for Diaz, who scored twice in the match played shortly after his parents were kidnapped by a local guerrilla group in the still violence Cup with Cristiano Ronaldo still grabbing the spotlight, a midfield glittering like a jeweller’s window and a familiar question lurking behind all the sparkle: Is this finally the year they stop underachieving? The tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States is expected to be Ronaldo’s record breaking sixth World Cup, an astonishing feat for a 41-year-old who has spent two decades turning the improbable into routine. Yet for all the attention Ronaldo is afforded, Portugal’s engine room may be the real headline act. Paris St Germain duo Vitinha and Joao Neves set the rhythm behind Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes, giving manager Roberto Martinez a midfield that can make a convincing claim to be the best in the world. There is quality almost everywhere else too, but Portuguese talent is hardly a novelty. Benfica, Sporting, Porto and Braga have long supplied Europe’s biggest clubs with polished players. The trouble is Portugal have too often taken fine squads to major tournaments and returned with a suitcase full of regrets. They won their only Euros title in 2016 and reached the World Cup semifinals in 2006 but their last four campaigns on the world stage brought frustration: two last-16 exits, one quarterfinal loss and a grim group-stage departure in 2014. Qatar in 2022 was another bruising chapter. Portugal were eliminated by Morocco in the

Ronaldo and long-term rival Lionel Messi are set to make more history by becoming the first players to feature in six World Cups. But since finishing fourth in Ronaldo’s debut tournament in 2006, Portugal have rarely threatened to go all the way despite boasting the highest goalscorer in the history of international football on 143. Now 41, Ronaldo’s presence has been seen as a major factor in Portugal sides not maximising their potential in recent tournaments. The Al-Nassr forward has failed to score in his last nine matches at the World Cup and Euros combined. Ronaldo was even dropped by Fernando Santos in favour of Goncalo Ramos during the 2022 World Cup. But Martinez has remained fiercely loyal to Ronaldo and with some justification. He scored in the quarterfinal, semifinal and final as Portugal beat Spain on penalties to win the Nations League last year. Ronaldo also plundered five goals in as many qualifiers before a red card against the Republic of Ireland. A lesser light would likely have been banned for the start of the tournament, but Ronaldo escaped with just a one-match suspension. Martinez’s reasoning for backing Ronaldo also reveals a lack of other credible options up front. Portugal’s true strength lies with arguably the best collection of midfielders at the World Cup. Paris Saint-Germain pair Vitinha and Joao Neves line up alongside Premier League player of the year Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva. Colombia are led by their own ageing national hero in James Rodriguez, 12 years on from the tournament that made him a global superstar. Despite a nomadic and largely ineffective club career in recent years, James, 34, remains an integral part of the Colombia side which reached the Copa America final two years ago and finished third in South American qualifying. Luis Diaz is now the talisman for Los Cafeteros and arrives at the World Cup on the back of the best club season of his career at Bayern Munich. Colombia tickets have been among the most in demand of any in the tournament and they are sure to be backed by a huge travelling and ex-pat support. That makes life all the more difficult for Uzebekistan and DR Congo to upset the odds against the two big group favourites. Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov is the star name among an Uzbekistan squad made up largely of domestically-based players. However, there is World Cup winning experience on the Uzbek bench in Fabio Cannavaro, who captained Italy to success in 2006. DR Congo’s only previous World Cup experience came 52 years ago, when they were known as Zaire, and left Germany without a point or goal to their name. A squad containing the likes of Newcastle’s Yoane Wissa, Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki and West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka will be targeting at least a first World Cup win. Sebastien Desabre’s side beat both Cameroon and Nigeria in playoffs to earn their place at the tournament.

arrive at the World Cup, you’ve got

three games in a group phase, and everything starts there and then.

has posted the highest win percentage of any Portugal manager at 69.4%, a figure

that rises to 70.9% in competitive games. His side have also been prolific, averaging 2.66 goals per match, while his tenure has included Portugal’s longest winning streak of 11 matches. Martinez has

also squeezed fresh life from Ronaldo, who has scored 25 goals in 30

Cristiano Ronaldo

appearances under him, a better goals-per game return than for any of his previous national team coaches. “We’re talking about

Diaz fuels Colombia’s hopes

Luis Diaz

marred country.

football great Pele but ended up

While his mother was released the same day, Diaz’s father remained in the rebels’ custody for 12 days. The National Liberation Army (ELN) said at the time the kidnapping was a “mistake.” “It was the most difficult moment of my life,” said the striker, who was then playing for Liverpool. He found immediate success after signing for Bayern for an estimated €75 million (RM345m) in July 2025, winning the Bundesliga title and helping them to reach the Champions League semifinals. Bayern manager Vincent Kompany described him as a “machine” with a “kind of chaotic creativity,” while Colombian great Carlos Valderrama said Diaz had already surpassed his own achievements. Colombia head to North America hoping to leave behind memories of their 1994 campaign in the United States, when the Valderrama-led team were tipped as favourites by

eliminated in the

group stage. The South American side debut in Group K on June 18 against Uzbekistan in Mexico City, before facing Portugal and the

Democratic

Republic of Congo.

Diaz will have support from 34-year-old James Rodriguez, who inspired Colombia’s run to the quarterfinals in 2014 but has had underwhelming club spells in recent years, and Sporting forward Luis Suarez. “We have a great team. I’m really excited for my first World Cup,” Diaz said.