'I hope we can make it happen' – Bruno Fernandes says Ronaldo needs to match Messi to cap stellar career

Bruno Fernandes has revealed his dream of helping Cristiano Ronaldo end his legendary international career with the one trophy missing from his glittering collection.

The Portugal captain says winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be the perfect farewell for his iconic teammate.

Speaking about Ronaldo’s likely final appearance on football’s biggest stage, Fernandes admitted that leading Portugal to World Cup glory with the 41-year-old would be something truly special.

“Wrapping up all this last World Cup with Cristiano winning it would be something amazing. I really hope we can make it happen, not just for Portugal, but for everything Cristiano gave to football and the world,” Fernandes said.

Ronaldo is expected to feature in a record sixth World Cup this summer, further extending his place in football history. Despite winning multiple major honours at club level and lifting the European Championship and Nations League with Portugal, the World Cup remains the one major prize that has eluded him.

Victory in 2026 would also see Ronaldo match the international legacy of long-time rival Lionel Messi, who completed his career by winning the World Cup with Argentina in 2022.

Portugal will head into the tournament believing they have the quality to challenge for the title, with Fernandes among a talented supporting cast around their veteran superstar.

Ronaldo enters the competition as international football’s all-time leading scorer with 143 goals, further underlining his extraordinary longevity and influence.

Portugal begin their World Cup campaign on June 17 against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia in the group stage. Before that, they will face Nigeria's Super Eagles in a pre-tournament friendly to sharpen up ahead of the World Cup.

With the tournament likely to be Ronaldo’s final major competition, Fernandes and Portugal will be desperate to deliver one last historic triumph for the man many consider the greatest player in their nation’s history.