‘They want Cristiano to win that title’ - Ronaldo World Cup claim from former Portugal team-mate

With 226 international caps and 143 goals to his name, Ronaldo has savoured European Championship glory with Portugal and hoisted UEFA Nations League silverware aloft on a couple of occasions.

He is nursing an injury at present, which has prevented him from being included in Roberto Martinez’s latest squad, but has been showing no sign of slowing down in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr - with prolific strike rates being maintained.

If fit, Ronaldo will captain his country at another major tournament this summer. Martinez has suggested that he will be given a starting berth, with there no reason to rotate the GOAT out of ambitious plans.

Portugal have enough talent at their disposal - including the likes of Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha - to suggest that a serious claim for World Cup immortality can be staked. Quaresma believes everyone in that camp will be desperate to deliver for their skipper.

The mercurial former winger, who made 80 appearances for Portugal, told the Daily Mail at a Puma 2026 World Cup kit launch: “They won the Nations League, so that's what I'm saying. We have more will to win because Cristiano is there. It's his last World Cup and they want Cristiano to win that title. The expectation is high, it's very high, because they have quality for that, because if they didn't have it, we wouldn't have had that whole expectation.”

Ronaldo saw eternal rival Messi conquer the world with Argentina in 2022. Former Manchester United team-mate Kleberson told GOAL recently of what CR7 is desperate to scratch that itch: “Inside of him he probably feels ‘gosh, I have to win the World Cup, I can’t finish my career like this’.

“He has to work hard. It’s not just him, it’s other players. Neymar also is probably thinking ‘Messi has a World Cup, I don’t’. [Erling] Haaland as well, he might not get a World Cup. It’s inside players, inside these top players.

“Look at Adriano - he’s a big name in Brazil, in Italy he played at a great level, but he hasn’t won the World Cup. The World Cup is sometimes fair, sometimes unfair. I believe those guys look at me and think ‘oh my gosh, I can’t believe Kleberson has a World Cup and I haven’t!’ I don’t have five Ballons’ d’Or, but I have won the World Cup!”

Quaresma was unable to help Ronaldo across that line during his playing days, but did form part of a triumphant Euro 2016-winning squad. He hopes a global crown can be captured as another generation of Portuguese talent is inspired to follow in the most illustrious of footsteps.

The 42-year-old ex-Sporting, Porto, Barcelona, Chelsea and Besiktas star added: “I am very proud to see the players who played with me win such an important title for our country. I think it is the dream of all of us to win a World Cup.

“We have already won a European title and now to win a World Cup (is the goal). I think it is the cherry on top of the cake because we always dreamed of it, but we never got it. And the reality is that in this team, this generation has given a lot of hope to our country.”

Portugal will kick off their Group K campaign at the 2026 World Cup against the winner of an inter-confederation play-off on June 17. They will remain in Houston, Texas for a meeting with Uzbekistan before heading to Miami for a clash with Colombia.