The pressure will be on Portugal ahead of their must-win FIFA World Cup 2026 clash against Uzbekistan after a disappointing 1-1 draw in the opener against DR Congo.
Much of that scrutiny had fallen on Cristiano Ronaldo, with the 41-year-old failing to register a shot on target in the opener despite playing 90 minutes. With major questions over his role in Roberto Martinez’s team, we take a look at whether the Portugal captain will start against Uzbekistan.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo Playing Against Uzbekistan Today?
Ronaldo is expected to start for Portugal during their Group K clash against Uzbekistan. Dropping a player of the five-time Ballon d’Or-winner’s stature would require a bold call from a team’s manager.
Portuguese manager Martinez, though, has been one of Ronaldo’s strongest supporters and again praised the former Real Madrid star’s leadership qualities ahead of the must-win encounter.
“He is a player who has been defending and playing for his country for a long time and he wants to keep improving for the team.,” Martinez stated. “He is really a role model for the team.”
Martinez also gave no indication that Ronaldo would be dropped during his pre-match press conference despite the noise surrounding the striker’s place in the side. He revealed that all players, including Ruben Dias, who sat out of the opening clash, are available, aside from Tomas Araujo.
Against DR Congo, Ronaldo managed just 25 touches and failed to hit the target with any of his three shots. The performance extended a remarkable drought, with the Portuguese captain now going 10 consecutive World Cup and European Championship appearances without finding the net.
During the 2022 World Cup, the then-manager, Fernando Santos, even benched Ronaldo for the knockout matches against Switzerland and Morocco.
In the current World Cup, Colombia currently tops Group K after defeating Uzbekistan 3-1 and will face DR Congo later tonight. Should Colombia win again, it would move to six points and secure qualification to the Round of 32 before facing Portugal on June 27.
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In that scenario, a Portugal victory over Uzbekistan would likely set up a fight for the top spot in the group against Colombia. However, if Ronaldo and Seleção das Quinas fail to collect all three points, qualification itself could become a concern heading into the final matchday.
Portugal’s clash with Uzbekistan is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET today, on June 23, at Houston Stadium.
