Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing? Projected lineups for Portugal vs Hungary in the World Cup qualifiers

Portugal and Hungary face off in the World Cup qualifiers, with Cristiano Ronaldo as the main attraction.

This Tuesday, the Portugal national team has a chance to take a decisive step in the World Cup qualifiers. They will face Hungary at Estádio José Alvalade knowing they could secure their spot in the FIFA tournament set to take place next summer in North America. In that context, Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence on the field is a key storyline.

Portugal currently lead Group F in the European World Cup qualifiers. They have a perfect record, having won all three of their matches. With 9 points, Roberto Martinez’s squad holds a five-point advantage over their closest challenger, Hungary, and sits six points ahead of Armenia.

That’s why a win on Tuesday against Hungary could seal qualification for the 2026 World Cup for Portugal—provided Armenia doesn’t beat Ireland. If that result doesn’t go their way, Ronaldo and company will have to wait until the November international break to clinch qualification. Then, they would only need a draw in one of their final two matches, against Ireland or Armenia.

For Hungary, the situation is different. They know it’s unlikely they’ll be able to steal the top spot in the group from the Portuguese, so their main goal is to secure second place and earn a playoff spot. Earning at least a draw on Tuesday would be crucial to that aim, before decisive matchups in November against their direct rivals.

Probable lineup for Portugal

The absences that affected Portugal in their last match against Ireland will remain in place this Tuesday, meaning key players like Joao Neves and Joao Cancelo will not be part of the squad. One player who is expected to be in the starting lineup is Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed a penalty last Saturday and failed to become the all-time scoring leader in World Cup qualifiers.

The probable XI for Portugal against Hungary: Diogo Costa; Nelson Semedo, Ruben Dias, Antonio Silva Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Ruben Neves; Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao; Cristiano Ronaldo.

Probable lineup for Hungary

Facing the tough challenge of going up against the strongest team in the group, Hungary will look to rise to the occasion. That’s why head coach Marco Rossi is expected to field his best possible team, highlighted by Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai.

The probable starting lineup for Hungary: Balasz Toth; Loic Nego, Willi Orban, Attila Szalai, Milos Kerkez; Bendeguz Bolla, Callum Styles, Andras Schafer, Dominik Szoboszlai; Daniel Lukacs, Barnabas Varga.