Will Cristiano Ronaldo play tonight for Portugal vs Colombia in FIFA World Cup 2026?

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of the tournament in the previous fixture.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is currently underway with the final round of its group stage fixtures, with the tournament producing performances that will be cherished for a long time. Colombia are set for a high-stakes encounter against Portugal in a heavyweight clash at Miami Stadium in Florida, USA.

Despite their rich footballing histories, Colombia and Portugal have never played against each other at the senior level. Colombia currently sits in 1st place in Group K with 6 points, and Portugal follows in 2nd place with 4 points, with both nations confirming their qualification to the next stage.

Roberto Martínez on Cristiano Ronaldo’s role against Colombia

Manager Roberto Martínez has confirmed that captain Cristiano Ronaldo is fully fit and will definitely start against Colombia. He emphasized the importance of balancing squad readiness with the need to secure a positive result against the in-form South American side.

Cristiano Ronaldo was a definite starter for Portugal’s World Cup campaign, fully adapting to the team’s new possession-based approach and entering the competition after an incredible domestic season with Al Nassr and with Portugal in recent tournaments.

He had a disappointing opening game in the 2026 campaign, failing to make any impact in the encounter against DR Congo, where the side endured a shocking 1-1 draw, despite entirely dominating the game.

However, with their qualification hopes in jeopardy, Portugal showed their immense resilience, securing a dominant 5-0 victory against Uzbekistan. Ronaldo spearheaded the attack with his elite positioning, scoring an unbelievable brace to guide Portugal to their first win of the campaign.

With this, Cristiano Ronaldo achieved a record feat, becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup editions since scoring his first goal in the 2006 World Cup.

With their qualification already secured, Portugal will aim to keep their players fully fit for their Round of 32 fixture. While Martínez is expected to heavily rotate certain key positions, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to lead the frontline due to his incredible fitness records in recent years.

Portugal are competing fiercely in Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a win guaranteeing their top finish and raising the overall team morale as they move to the Round of 32 fixture, with their opponent to be determined.

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