A recent FIFA social media post intended to celebrate the 42 nations qualifying for the expanded 2026 World Cup sparked controversy after omitting Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, leading to its speedy removal. The initial post featured one player per qualified nation, selecting Bruno Fernandes to represent Portugal, a choice that drew immediate backlash from fans questioning the snub of the national team captain [[1]]. FIFA has sence replaced the image with a graphic displaying only national flags, amid wider speculation regarding Ronaldo’s role and legacy as his career progresses.
Jakarta –
FIFA removed a post featuring 42 nations qualified for the 2026 World Cup after fans noticed a notable omission: Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to multiple reports, FIFA initially published an Instagram post two days ago showcasing players representing each of the 42 countries that have secured their place in the expanded 2026 tournament. For Portugal, the image selected was of Bruno Fernandes.
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The decision to feature Fernandes instead of Ronaldo, the national team captain and one of the sport’s all-time greats, quickly drew criticism from supporters online. Many questioned why Ronaldo wasn’t chosen to represent Portugal in the promotional material.
Adding fuel to the debate, the post’s caption – ‘.42/48 team, 1 dream’ – was interpreted by some as a pointed remark directed at Ronaldo.
FIFA subsequently replaced the original post with a new image consisting solely of the flags of the qualified nations, removing player photos altogether.
Ronaldo has previously stated his perspective on the importance of a World Cup title, suggesting it shouldn’t be the sole measure of a player’s legacy. “If you ask me, Cristiano, is winning a World Cup a dream? No, it’s not a dream,” Ronaldo said in an interview with Piers Morgan on his YouTube channel.
“Defining what? Defining whether I’m one of the best in history, winning one tournament [that consists of] six matches, seven matches. Do you think that’s fair?” he added.
(aff/nds)
