This is the last dance for Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup. Portugal’s biggest star has netted two Nations League titles and one Euro title, but never the big one. Can the soon-to-be 1,000-goal scorer capture the biggest moment of his career in 2026? And will he lead Portugal in goals to do so?
Portugal Top Goalscorer Odds
Let’s take a look at the best odds for the top goalscorer for Portugal:
Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo leads the way at +225. Age be damned, he’s still the best scorer on this team. Closely behind him is Bruno Fernandes, who is wrapping up a potentially historic Premier League campaign. PSG man Goncalo Ramos, the heir apparent to Ronaldo as the lead Portuguese striker, comes in third. He’s followed closely by Rafael Leao, another member of their elite youngsters, and Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr teammate Joao Felix to round out the top five. After this, we get into some longer shots amongst bench players or central midfielders and defenders.
Ramos led the team in goals scored during the 2022 World Cup, as the youngster found the back of the net three times, all from open play. He was followed by Rafael Leao and Bruno Fernandes with two apiece. Famously, Ronaldo scored only one goal, and it came on a penalty. He’s sure going to be motivated to shake off the Penaldo allegations this time around. Their Euro 2024 run saw them score only three goals from open play: Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Francisco Conceicao all managed goals in their most recent major tournament.
Now we know the Portuguese squad a bit better. But who is the best pick out of this group to be the top goal scorer?
Who will be Portugal’s leading goalscorer? Pick, best bet
Ronaldo remains an incredible player for his age, but the recent results don’t lie. Zero goals from open play in his last two major tournaments make you wonder if his time to step into a reserve role has already passed. Playing in a Saudi Premier League short on depth of talent may not be keeping him sharp. Meanwhile, veterans like Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva continue to produce results for Portugal, while the youngsters are churning out big games.
I think Bruno is the best value here. He’s playing excellent football for Manchester United and will be in top competitive form through the end of the season, right into the World Cup. The free-kick mastery will come in handy when the games bog down under significant defensive pressure.
