Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal were forced to suspend their training session on Sunday following a strong storm that hit the town of Palm Beach, Florida, in the afternoon.
Seleção das Quinas are set to kick off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a clash against DR Congo on Wednesday in Houston. Their preparation for the clash, however, suffered an unexpected setback after an intense thunderstorm, which was followed by heavy rainfall, forcing the cancellation of the team’s training session.
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In addition to the training session, a press conference scheduled for the same day was called off, depriving the media of any interaction with representatives of the Portugal national team. Due to the adverse weather conditions, the players and members of staff had to move to a safer place, carrying out physical exercise indoors instead.
Given the forecasts indicating worsening weather conditions, the training session was rescheduled for Monday morning as well as the appearance of the players before the media.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks Portugal’s seventh consecutive appearance at the tournament. However, they are yet to win the trophy, with their best run being a third-place finish, which they achieved in the 1966 tournament in England.
Alongside DR Congo, Portugal are placed in Group K of the 2026 World Cup with Uzbekistan and Colombia. After Wednesday’s clash with DR Congo, Roberto Martinez’s men will take on Uzbekistan before rounding off their group stage fixtures with a clash against Colombia.
“It’s not photoshop” – Portugal star praises Ronaldo’s physique ahead of World Cup opener
At 41, Ronaldo is set to captain Portugal in their quest for World Cup glory in north America. Despite nearing the end of his career, Ronaldo continues to prioritize his physical fitness. He posted a carousel of photos on Instagram on Saturday that showed off his amazing body on a Miami beach.
The Al-Nassr man, alongside several national teammates, including Vitinha, was seen soaking up the sun in Palm Beach, Florida. During a press conference, Vitinha was asked if the photos of Ronaldo on the beach were photoshopped, to which he said:
“I can promise you, guarantee you it’s not Photoshop; it’s like that. It’s incredible that he is like that at 41. I’m 26 and I’m not like that. It’s just another indication of how dedicated he is and how important it is for him to be in good shape.”
Should Ronaldo feature in this summer’s tournament, he would become the fourth oldest player to play in World Cup history.
Edited by Ezekiel Olamide