The FIFA World Cup 2026 squad of Portugal comprises several noted players, including the soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo. And the team has included strength training as a major part of their training regimen to do their best on the field.

Recently, on June 22, two different reels from the Portugal national soccer team's Instagram account displayed that the players engaged in strength training.

The video showed the team's right-back, Diogo Dalot, in a session of weighted crunches and Russian twists. Subsequently, another video was shared on June 25, showcasing Joao Cancelo performing bicep curls, while Ronaldo went for a few reps of single-arm dumbbell row.

While the initial video was focused on Dalot, the latter Instagram video also displayed the other members of the squad, like Bernardo Silva and Rafael Leao, going for warm-ups and various other game-specific activities, such as practicing through passes.

Strength training is included in the regimen of soccer players for a variety of reasons. According to Trainwell, it helps the conditioning of players by increasing endurance and improving balance and stability for better ball control.

However, it is also pivotal to effectively handle the in-match tackles from opponents. And it can be safely said that their training is showing its effects in the field.

Portugal's FIFA World Cup 2026 performances are getting better

Portugal started their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in a rather lacklustre way. Ronaldo and Co. had their first match against the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 17, but despite being the far better side, they could only manage a 1-1 draw.

The team suffered from a lack of understanding and creating formations. Their inability to get Ronaldo involved in the game with successful passes took a toll on their standings, as they had to be satisfied with just 1 point.

However, Roberto Martinez's boys looked like a completely different side against Uzbekistan in their second match on June 23. They played much better as a team, dominating their rivals with their to-the-point passing and quick-shifting formations. The final scoreline of the match read 5-0 in Portugal's favor, with Ronaldo scoring two of them.

So, it's quite apparent that training together is gradually helping the side perform better on the pitch.

Do you think that Ronaldo and Co. will secure a victory in their third match as well? But don't forget, their opponents, Colombia, are a much better-ranked side than Uzbekistan.

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Written by

Souvik Roy

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi