SANTIAGO.- The Chilean soccer team will face the Portugal of Cristiano Ronaldo on June 6, days before the debut of the European team in the North America World Cup 2026Both federations reported this Wednesday.
It will be the penultimate game of the European squad led by the Spaniard Roberto Martinez before traveling to USAwhere the 41-year-old star can become the first footballer to play six World Cups.
“The Chilean Football Federation and the Portuguese Football Federation confirm match that will face La Roja with the Lusitanian team in the FIFA date June,” the ANFP reported in a statement. It did not specify where the match will be played.
The Chilean team, which did not qualify for the biggest event in football after being at the bottom of the South American qualifiers, had not faced the Seleção since the 2017 Confederations Cupwhen they eliminated the Europeans on penalties in the semifinal.
After facing La Roja, Martínez’s team will play a second and final preparation game on June 10 in the Portuguese city of Leiria against a rival to be defined, the Portuguese federation reported in a note.
In his very likely last quest for the world title, CR7 will share Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan and a team to be defined. It will debut against that team that has arrived from the playoff on June 17 in Houston, Texas.
Clash against Mexico
Portugal also plans to play a friendly against Mexico on March 28, at the reopening of the emblematic Azteca Stadium, in the Mexican capital, the opening stage of the World Cup.
But on Tuesday the Portuguese Football Federation questioned the attendance of its team in that duel due to “the delicate situation currently experienced in Mexico.”
Hosted along with the United States and Canada, Mexico faced a wave of violence on Sunday in much of its territory unleashed by organized crime, in response to the downfall of the drug trafficking kingpin. Nemesio Osegueraalias “Mencho”, in an army operation.
Following the position of its Portuguese counterpart and a piece of reassurance provided by the authorities and FIFA, the Mexican federation stated that both squads maintain the “mutual desire” to play the match.
