As many countries have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, the situation in Europe is still unclear. In this scenario, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are gearing up for two important qualifying matches in October, but they will be missing a significant player in midfield.
For the matches against Ireland and Hungary, coach Roberto Martinez will not have Joao Neves available, as the PSG midfielder has suffered a left thigh injury during a Champions League match against Atalanta.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) shared this information in an official statement: “The FPF Health and Performance Directorate, in conjunction with the PSG medical department, determined that the Portuguese international midfielder is not in physical condition to participate in the national team’s matches.”
Despite Neves’ absence, Portugal aims to keep their strong qualifying performance going. They began their campaign with a solid 5–0 victory against Armenia, featuring a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo, and followed it up with a 3–2 win over Hungary, both games played away.
Joao Neves #87 of Paris Saint-Germain during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Cristiano Ronaldo on the brink of another record
Portugal’s captain is close to breaking another record. With just one more goal, Cristiano Ronaldo could become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup Qualifiers, surpassing Carlos Ruiz from Guatemala; they are currently tied at 39 goals.
This achievement would add to the numerous records Ronaldo already holds for Portugal. He is the most capped player in world soccer, with 223 appearances, and the top international goal scorer with 141 goals.
In addition to these milestones, Ronaldo is pursuing another extraordinary goal—becoming the first player in history to score 1,000 career goals. Currently, he has 946 goals, while Lionel Messi has 884. At 40 years old, the former Real Madrid forward seems set to reach this target before anyone else.