Cristiano Ronaldo Begins Portugal's World Cup Training

Cristiano Ronaldo (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest ever footballers in the world, has begun preparations for what could be the most important tournament of his career, joining Portugal's training camp ahead of their FIFA World Cup opener on June 17. The Portuguese star shared his excitement on social media, posting a picture with the caption, "The World Mission Begins!" Portugal's national team also gave fans a glimpse of the squad's mood before the tournament, sharing a training-ground photo that showed players smiling and posing together as they gear up for the global event. While Ronaldo has won almost every major honour in football, the FIFA World Cup remains the one big trophy missing from his glittering career. The 41-year-old is set to make a record sixth World Cup appearance, further cementing his place among the game's all-time greats. Portugal will begin their campaign against DR Congo on June 17. They will then face Uzbekistan on June 23 before wrapping up their group-stage fixtures against Colombia on June 27. Ronaldo and Portugal will be hoping to make a strong start as they chase World Cup glory and attempt to go deep into the competition. The veteran forward heads into the tournament in excellent form after recently achieving a major milestone with Al Nassr. Ronaldo played a key role in helping the Saudi club win the Saudi Pro League title, their first league triumph since he joined the team in January 2023. He scored twice in a dominant 4-1 win over Damac that sealed Al Nassr's 11th league crown. The title was also Ronaldo's first league championship in Saudi Arabia, adding another achievement to his remarkable career. With confidence high and the World Cup now on the horizon, Ronaldo will be eager to lead Portugal's charge and finally capture the one major trophy that has so far eluded him.