Just over a month before the start of the 2026 North American World Cup, one of the recurring topics is the chances each national team has of winning the title. In that regard, José Mourinho already has his candidates to compete for the trophy. In an interview with the magazine Sport Week, the former coach of Manchester United and Real Madrid expressed his confidence that the Portuguese team could end up as champions. "Portugal is capable of anything," he commented as an introduction. "They have an incredible generation of footballers. A year ago, they won the Nations League," Mourinho added. "In 2016, we won the European Championship, and this generation is technically superior to that team. Of course, there's Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil and Argentina, but Portugal can win this World Cup," the Portuguese coach stated. He also commented on Iran's presence in the World Cup and the questions it has raised in the United States. In that regard, he defended the players. "Politics is one thing, and sport is another," he emphasized. For him, only sporting merit matters. "The Iranian players who have qualified for the World Cup, even if too many teams participate, deserve to be there," he added. Cristiano Ronaldo aims for a new record. One of the great figures who hopes to leave their mark on the 2026 North American World Cup is Cristiano Ronaldo. The forward, along with Lionel Messi, will immediately set a milestone by simply stepping onto the field. By doing so, they will accumulate six World Cup appearances, surpassing the five appearances of Mexican players Antonio Carbajal, Rafael Márquez, Guillermo Ochoa, and Andrés Guardado; as well as Italian Gianluigi Buffon and German Lothar Matthäus. In 2022, CR7 achieved a record that will remain in the history books for a long time, after scoring in five editions of the World Cup. At 41 years old, the Madeira native hopes to extend his legend further with at least one goal in North America. Furthermore, if the Iberian team reaches the final in New Jersey, he will surpass the age of the legendary Dino Zoff, captain and champion with Italy in Spain '82, who is currently the oldest player to have played in a final at 40 years old. NEWSLETTER El Deportivo Monday, 8:45 AM A special selection with coverage and analysis of the most important sporting events of the weekend, by the sports team of La Tercera. By subscribing, you are accepting the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policies of La Tercera.