Former Portugal defender Abel Xavier believes Portugal have what it takes to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, backing Cristiano Ronaldo to end his international career by lifting the one major trophy that has eluded him.
Speaking during the ongoing World Cup, Xavier said Portugal boast the strongest generation of players in the country's history and should be among the teams challenging for the title.
"I believe Portugal have a great chance," Xavier said in an interview with SuperSport.
"If we are talking about both quantity and quality, Portugal currently has the best generation of players. I believe that if the coach sets up the team properly, considering the number of quality players available, Portugal can achieve the results needed to take them at least to the semi-finals."
Portugal progressed to the Round of 32, where they are set to face Croatia in a crucial knockout clash on Friday morning at 2am Kenyan time.
Xavier, who represented Portugal and enjoyed spells at Liverpool and Everton after beginning his football career in Mozambique, believes much of the spotlight will fall on 41-year-old Ronaldo, who is widely expected to be playing in his final World Cup.
"Unfortunately, over the last few decades, two of the greatest players ever have emerged: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It has often felt like a personal competition between them as well," he said.
"I honestly believe Cristiano wants to finish his career with a major trophy. I think the greatest trophy and the greatest privilege a player can have is winning something with their country. In my opinion, that is the ultimate prize."
While naming Portugal among the contenders, Xavier warned that the expanded 2026 tournament has made predicting the eventual winner far more difficult.
"I think this World Cup is unusual because there are more teams and more unpredictable situations can happen. There are some teams that may not appear capable of competing at the highest level, but they can still surprise people," he said.
"If we talk about the physical strength of the African teams, for example, and the pragmatism and tactical discipline of some of the Asian teams, they can also surprise people."
He cited South Korea's performances as proof that emerging football nations are capable of upsetting traditional powerhouses.
Despite the growing competitiveness, Xavier still considers former champions France, Brazil, Argentina and Spain as the favourites to win the tournament, while placing Portugal and England among the teams capable of causing a surprise.
The former defender also expressed optimism about African football, arguing that the continent is edging closer to producing a World Cup-winning team.
"The way I see it, there is an important reflection to be made regarding African teams. If African players are individually capable of competing at the highest level and playing for the best clubs in Europe, why are we not consistently seeing stronger national teams? That is something we need to reflect on," he said.
He also questioned the limited number of African national teams coached by local managers.
"Secondly, among the African teams, only a few have local coaches. That is another point we need to think about."
Nevertheless, Xavier believes African football has made significant progress.
"When you talk about physicality, tactical awareness and understanding of the game, African teams have improved significantly. If you're talking about skill, we have everything needed to compete with the very best. For that reason, I believe the moment will come when an African team achieves something truly special."
Asked which countries are closest to making history, Xavier singled out Senegal and Morocco.
"If you ask which teams are currently closest, based on the work they have done and the models they have implemented, I would say Senegal and Morocco are slightly ahead of the other African teams at this moment."
Reflecting on his return to the continent where he was born, Xavier said the experience had been emotional.
"It's been awesome. Thank you so much for the way you've welcomed me and helped me settle in. Being here has allowed me to reconnect with my roots because Africa is in my heart," he said.
He also voiced support for South Africa, expressing hope that Bafana Bafana can recover from a poor start and keep their World Cup campaign alive.
"It is wonderful to be here, and I hope Bafana Bafana can bounce back...I would really, really like to see the African teams do well," he remarked. However, South Africa wound up being knocked out of the competition following a 1-0 loss to co-hosts Canada.
