Cristiano Ronaldo Faces Uncertain 2026 World Cup Fate After Concerning New Update
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off during Al Nassr FC’s 3-1 league win over Al Fayha FC, raising fresh concerns
- The 41-year-old also missed a first-half penalty before being substituted late in the match on Saturday afternoon
- Fears are growing that the issue could impact his hopes of playing at the 2026 World Cup with the Portugal national football team
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Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo could reportedly face a race against time to be fit for the 2026 World Cup after sustaining an injury over the weekend.
Al Nassr were in Saudi Professional League action against Al Fayha FC at Al Majma'ah Sports City in Majmaah on Saturday, February 27.
Source: Getty Images
Al Nassr went into the final 20 minutes trailing 1-0 after Abdulelah Al-Amri turned the ball into his own net during first-half stoppage time.
The visitors, however, mounted a comeback. Goals from Sadio Mané and Abdullah Al-Hamdan, along with an own goal by Orlando Mosquera, secured a 3-1 victory for Jorge Jesus’ side.
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The result moved Al Nassr two points clear of Al Ahli at the top of the Saudi Professional League table.
Why Ronaldo could miss 2026 World Cup
Despite the win, the evening was overshadowed by concern for Ronaldo. The 41-year-old was forced off in the 81st minute after appearing to suffer a muscle issue.
Looking visibly uncomfortable, he signalled to the bench before being replaced by Al-Hamdan. Earlier in the match, with the score still 0-0, Ronaldo had also missed a penalty.
Speaking afterwards, head coach Jorge Jesus confirmed that the forward would undergo immediate medical checks.
He said Ronaldo experienced muscle fatigue and that urgent tests would be carried out to assess the extent of the problem.
According to reports from The Sun, there are growing fears that a serious injury could jeopardise Ronaldo’s chances of featuring at the 2026 World Cup, which will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico in June.
Ronaldo is aiming to represent Portugal national football team at a record sixth World Cup, having appeared at every edition since 2006.
Source: Getty Images
He is currently one of six players to have competed in five different tournaments, alongside Lionel Messi, Lothar Matthäus, Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado and Rafael Márquez.
Portugal’s opening match is scheduled for June 17 against the winner of the play-off between New Caledonia, Jamaica and DR Congo, with further group-stage fixtures against Uzbekistan and Colombia.
Ronaldo misses penalty for Al Nassr
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Cristiano Ronaldo experienced an early setback during Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League clash against Al Fayha , missing a penalty in the 11th minute that could have handed his side the lead.
With the score locked at 0–0 in the opening half, the Portuguese forward stepped up to take the spot kick, looking composed and confident as usual.
However, his effort drifted wide of the target, leaving a clear opportunity unconverted and momentarily silencing the crowd.
Source: YEN.com.gh