Cristiano Ronaldo’s star teammate Vitinha makes bold claim about Portugal’s 2026 World Cup chances
Vitinha has emerged as one of Portugal’s cornerstones alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, with the national team becoming one of the few to lift silverware in 2025. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder delivered a bold assessment of Portugal’s chances at the tournament, which will be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
After playing a limited role at the 2022 World Cup, Vitinha has developed into a key figure since Roberto Martínez took over as Portugal’s head coach. Following the 2025 UEFA Nations League triumph over Spain, the Seleção has earned recognition as one of the strongest sides heading into the next World Cup, a belief Vitinha openly embraced.
In an interview with Marca, Vitinha was asked whether he believes winning the World Cup is realistic, and the midfielder left little room for doubt: “Of course! Portugal has a very strong national team and we are one of the contenders, although there are also other excellent teams among the favorites. In any case, we have to try to win everything again with PSG — we have to keep pushing, keep growing, and improving every day. And try to win the World Cup as well.”
The PSG star also reflected on what he described as an “unforgettable” season capped by the Nations League title. “With the national team, my teammates also feel capable of repeating a season as unforgettable as this one. We know it’s very, very difficult, but if we stay on the same path and don’t forget what led us to success, we’ll try to do it again. There are many factors and details that determine whether you achieve it or not,” he added.
On the road to the Nations League Final Four, Portugal topped its group before navigating a demanding two-legged quarterfinal against Denmark that was decided in extra time. Ronaldo’s side then defeated Germany 2-1 in the semifinals and overcame Spain (the current No. 1 team in the FIFA rankings) in the final via a penalty shootout.
Vitinha concluded by highlighting a key element he believes will be crucial for both Portugal and PSG. “This year we showed a tremendous work ethic, and that deserves a lot of credit, but I’m also clear that we had some luck at key moments, and we’ll need that again. Still, luck comes from hard work, and at PSG we’re going to work again to try to achieve it,” the Portuguese star said.
Vitinha awarded best midfielder of 2025
Vitinha enjoyed a major breakthrough during the 2024-25 season, winning every domestic trophy in France along with the UEFA Champions League. As part of that recognition, the Globe Soccer Awards held Monday named him Best Midfielder of 2025.
Asked whether he feels properly recognized on an individual level, Vitinha was candid: “Yes, especially this year I’ve really felt it. I know that 2025 has been the year of my true confirmation, when I noticed recognition from everyone. But I think I had already had very good seasons before that, even if they didn’t have as much visibility.
“In the end, people recognize my work, and I’m very happy about that, because that’s also important to me,” Vitinha concluded. While he finished third in the Ballon d’Or voting and seventh in FIFA’s The Best, rankings typically dominated by forwards, the Globe Soccer Award finally added an individual honor to the Portuguese midfielder’s trophy cabinet.