Cristiano Ronaldo shares four-word message after Portugal start preparations for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world’s greatest footballers of all time, has started his preparations for perhaps the most important tournament of his career, joining Portugal’s training camp ahead of the start of the FIFA World Cup on June 17. The Portuguese star shared his excitement on social media, posting a picture with the caption: “The world mission begins!”The Portugal national team also gave fans a glimpse into the squad’s mood ahead of the tournament, sharing a photo from the training ground of the players smiling and posing together as they prepare for the global event.While Ronaldo has won almost every major honor in football, the FIFA World Cup remains the only major trophy missing from his glittering career. The 41-year-old is set to make a record sixth appearance at the World Cup, further cementing his place among the greatest players of all time.Portugal will begin their campaign against the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 17. They will then face Uzbekistan on June 23 and finish their group stage matches against Colombia on June 27.Ronaldo and Portugal will be hoping to get off to a good start as they chase World Cup glory and try to go deep into the competition.The veteran heads into the tournament in excellent form after recently achieving a major milestone with Al Nassr. Ronaldo played a key role in helping the Saudi Arabian club win the Saudi Pro League title, their first league triumph since he joined the team in January 2023.He scored twice in a dominant 4-1 win over Damac that sealed Al Nassr’s 11th league crown. The title was also Ronaldo’s first league championship in Saudi Arabia and added another achievement to his remarkable career.With confidence high and the World Cup on the horizon, Ronaldo will be eager to lead the Portuguese side and finally win the one major trophy that has so far eluded him.