Portugal open their World Cup campaign against Congo DR on 17 June 2026 at 17:00 UTC, and the main question is not whether Cristiano Ronaldo starts. It is whether Roberto Martinez can use him without leaning on him for every minute. Ronaldo has scored 25 goals in his last 30 appearances for Portugal, and that output is exactly why the temptation to keep him on the pitch will be strong.

Why Ronaldo's workload matters

Carlos Carvalhal's view was blunt. “I am absolutely sure that he will play from the beginning of all the World Cup games,” he said, before adding, “The physical situation, if you ask me, the coach can manage better Cristiano. Do not play him every minute.” He also suggested a 60 or 70-minute role as the theory, while stressing that Ronaldo has to understand it.

That matters because Portugal have already seen what happens when he is left on for the full stretch. At Euro 2024, Ronaldo played the full 120 minutes in back-to-back knockout games. FIFA also suspended one year the final two matches of his three-match ban, so he is available for the opener.

The case for starting him is obvious. The case for sparing him late in games is just as strong. Portugal want his finishing, but they also need him fresh if they are serious about going deep.

Portugal's wider picture is strong, but not simple

Portugal won four of their last five World Cup matches, and their best finish remains third place in 1966 with Eusebio. That is a solid base, even before you get to the midfield quality and the environment Carvalhal described when he said, “You can see the humility of Vitinha, of João Neves. I like the environment.”

The warning is about what happens when they lose the ball. Carvalhal said, “We must be careful in the transition. We will have a lot of the ball in most of the games so that moment when we lose the ball is going to be important.” That is the part of the profile that needs to hold up if Portugal are to justify their status.

There is also a human layer around this squad. Diogo Jota's Nations League triumph was the last match he played before his death, and the squad was announced with a plus one to honour him. Portugal have enough talent to win, but this opening game will show whether Martinez can manage Ronaldo properly and keep the team balanced around him.

Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →