Exclusive: Portugal is not the main favorite for the 2026 World Cup according to Denis Lavagne

World Cup 2026 Today at 18:43

Imed Ben Amara

News Editor

17.06.26 13:00 World Cup

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French coach Denis Lavagne does not believe that Portugal is the top favorite to win the 2026 World Cup.

He shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Foot Africa.

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"Portugal has a team of great quality, particularly in midfield and several other areas. However, much will depend on how the Cristiano Ronaldo situation is managed. He is an exceptional player, but his age raises questions about his ability to play the entire tournament," he said, before continuing: "Managing his playing time will be decisive: will he accept a less central role? And could that create tension within the squad? Despite this, I think Portugal is still slightly behind France, Spain, Brazil, and Argentina."

As a reminder, the Portuguese team will compete in Group K at the World Cup, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Colombia, and Uzbekistan.

Portugal has never won the World Cup before. Their best performance remains a third-place finish in the 1966 edition.

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