Angel Di Maria has pointed out Vitinha and Joao Neves as the two pivotal figures for Portugal’s campaign in the 2026 World Cup, rather than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Former Argentina national team star Angel Di Maria believes that Portugal are among the top contenders to win the 2026 World Cup, thanks to the presence of these two midfielders.

Although Cristiano Ronaldo remains the captain and the team’s most iconic player, Di Maria emphasised that the PSG duo are the real driving forces behind Portugal’s current strength.

The players in question are Paris Saint-Germain’s midfield pair, Joao Neves and Vitinha, whose performances have been instrumental in the French club’s success this season.

Their creativity and control in midfield have helped Les Parisiens defend their UEFA Champions League crown, further highlighting their importance to both club and country.

Di Maria expressed confidence that the pair would have a major impact on Portugal’s performance in the upcoming World Cup.

“Portugal is a team full of quality players,” Di Maria said, as quoted by BolaSport.com from Sportskeeda.

“The presence of Joao Neves and Vitinha will bring a different dimension to their game and could make a big difference.

“There are three or four teams that can realistically fight for the World Cup trophy, and Portugal is certainly one of them,” the 38-year-old added.

In the World Cup 2026 group stage, the Selecao das Quinas have been drawn into Group K.

They will face strong challenges from teams across three different continents, including DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and South American side Colombia.

On paper, Portugal appear to be the clear favourites to advance.

However, head coach Roberto Martinez is determined not to let his squad become complacent ahead of the tournament.

As part of their final preparations before heading to North America, Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates are scheduled to play two friendly matches.

Portugal will take on Chile on June 6, followed by a final warm-up match against Nigeria on June 10.

Despite entering the tournament at the age of 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is still expected to lead the line for Portugal and remain their primary goal threat.

The Al Nassr forward has shown that his scoring instincts remain sharp, continuing to find the back of the net regularly for his club.

Ronaldo also holds a remarkable record, having scored in each of the five World Cup editions he has participated in.

However, a closer look at his statistics reveals that his goal tally in the tournament finals may not be as prolific as expected for a player of his calibre.

The former Real Madrid superstar has scored a total of eight goals across all World Cups.

His most productive campaign came in the 2018 tournament in Russia, where he netted four times.

In the other four editions, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner managed to score just one goal per tournament.