Manchester United star Diogo Dalot has expressed confidence that he can fulfil his dream of winning the World Cup this summer. The Red Devils defender has been included in Portugal’s squad for the 2026 tournament, which kicks off in less than a fortnight.
Portugal's World Cup Ambitions
Portugal, who have triumphed in Euro 2016 and the 2025 Nations League, have never won the World Cup. They begin their campaign against DR Congo, followed by Group K matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia. Speaking ahead of the competition, Dalot believes the trophy is a realistic target.
“I have some dreams, and being world champion is one of them,” Dalot said, as quoted by A Bola. “Bringing that dream into reality, we know we have to work a lot. We still have three games ahead of us, and that is our main focus. Then it is game by game until the final, if possible, and being able to win it is a big objective we have.”
He added: “I am confident we have the conditions for it. Obviously, we know these competitions are difficult. History, unfortunately, does not say Portugal have already won it. So we want to do something that has not been done, but always with the humility to work hard to achieve it. It gives us confidence. We know we have quality in the squad. The quality of Portuguese players and Portuguese teams has continued to grow. It gives us confidence going into a competition like this, one we have never won before, with that motivation.”
Cristiano Ronaldo's Final Chance
The 2026 World Cup likely represents Cristiano Ronaldo’s final opportunity to secure a winner’s medal. Dalot also highlighted the influence of coach Roberto Martinez as a key factor in Portugal’s potential success. “For any coach, having the possibility of several players who can play in different positions is an advantage. We have already shown that even the players called up have that ability, so for the national team it will be beneficial,” Dalot said.
“What he has done so far is clear and it is something that deserves recognition. We managed to win a trophy with him. Everything he has done for us, and the improvement the national team has had in recent years, is clear. The decision will not be ours, but our objective as players is to give everything for him.”
