Pedro Neto's Journey to the 2026 World Cup

Pedro Neto has waited a long time for this.

The Portugal winger, already capped 25 times by his country, is finally walking into a major global tournament as a central figure rather than a promising footnote. His message is simple: this time, he wants to leave a mark.

The build-up has already offered a glimpse of his intent. In Portugal’s final warm-up game before the tournament, Neto rifled in his second international goal during a 2-1 win over Nigeria, a sharp reminder of what he brings when fully fit and confident. One touch, one clean strike, and a statement made.

Now comes the real stage. Group games against DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia await, and with them the sense of a fresh chapter for both player and country. Portugal open their 2026 World Cup Group K campaign against DR Congo at Houston Stadium on Wednesday 17 June, a 6pm (UK) kick-off that will set the tone for what follows. Six days later, at the same venue and the same time, they face Uzbekistan, another test of nerve and focus in a group that offers no room for complacency.

For Neto, this is about more than fixtures and kick-off times. It is about making up for the moments that slipped away.

“It’s a lot of motivation for my part,” he says, the words carrying the weight of those lost opportunities. He has watched tournaments come and go, tournaments in which he might have played a leading role but instead had to settle for the view from afar. Now, finally, the door is open.

“I want to be there to help the team and to try to win it for the fans and for the family and for all my friends that I know I represent when I go there,” he explains. There is no talk of easing in, no hint of simply enjoying the occasion. His ambition is blunt: help Portugal win, for everyone who has carried him to this point.

As a youngster, he would sit and watch Portugal on the biggest stages, dreaming of being part of it. “I used to look to all the competitions Portugal were in and to be a part of one, it’s like a dream come true, to be honest,” he admits.

Now the dream has a schedule, a stadium, and a group to navigate. The warm-up is over. The waiting is done. The question is no longer whether Pedro Neto belongs on this stage, but how far he can drive Portugal once the first whistle blows in Houston.