Bruno Fernandes carrying 'dream of all Portuguese people' as Man Utd talisman targets World Cup glory alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in 2026

Portugal are well on their way to qualifying for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. They’ve made a perfect start to their campaign and sit top of their group after winning their first two matches, scoring eight goals and conceding two. They secured a dominant 5-0 victory against Armenia and followed it up with a hard-fought 3-2 win against Hungary and face the Republic of Ireland in their next match.  

Ahead of the match with Ireland, Fernandes told Channel 11: "We have to take it game by game, even though we know we want to reach the World Cup as quickly as possible. Our main goal is to win every game, and we're focused on that, knowing that the dream of the World Cup is always present. Since I was little, I've dreamed of winning the World Cup, and it's not just my dream, it's the dream of all Portuguese people. First, we'll do everything we can to be there, and then we'll do everything we can to make that dream come true."

In response to speculation about playing at the World Cup, Ronaldo has indicated his intention to continue playing for Portugal and Al-Nassr, expressing his desire to remain on the national stage. He has also stated that his plan is to keep playing for many more years as long as he continues to perform well for his club and country, saying, "Why stop now?" He acknowledged that he has "only a few years left on the pitch" but wants to "enjoy every moment to the fullest". Ronaldo emphasised focusing on the present, stating, "We live day by day, without long-term planning". He also mentioned the immediate goal of winning upcoming qualifiers to get closer to qualifying for the World Cup and added, "I still dream of a world cup with Portugal, it's possible".

The Republic of Ireland's World Cup hopes are already hanging by a thread. They are currently bottom of Group F after their opening two matches yielded only one point in the 2-2 home draw against Hungary, coming from two goals down. This was followed by a disappointing 2-1 away defeat by Armenia. On Ireland, Fernandes said: "We're facing a very physically strong team, very capable in duels, that defends with many players behind the ball. We have to be patient with the ball and know how to find the right spaces, but we're prepared, especially because we worked well during the week. It's going to be a difficult game, like all the others we've had, but we were capable and we must be capable again now."