Pedro Neto proud to follow Portuguese World Cup footsteps
Chelsea winger Pedro Neto says he is living a childhood dream at the 2026 World Cup, playing alongside idol Cristiano Ronaldo after an assist against DR Congo and a start in Portugal's 5-0 win over Uzbekistan. The 41-year-old Ronaldo's two goals underline the longevity Neto grew up hoping to emulate.
Key Takeaways
- Pedro Neto has featured in Portugal's opening two 2026 World Cup fixtures, with an assist against DR Congo.
- He is sharing the pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored twice against Uzbekistan at age 41.
- Neto says watching the 2010 World Cup in Braga motivated him to follow heroes including Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar and Eden Hazard.
- At a recent press session, he shared the dressing room's view on Ronaldo's scoring and joked about a fan vote naming him the tournament's best-looking player.
- Portugal face Colombia next; a win would send them through as Group K winners.
Why does Pedro Neto say he is following famous Portuguese footsteps?
As a young player in Portugal, Pedro Neto dreamed of emulating Cristiano Ronaldo and other all-time greats on the World Cup stage, according to Chelsea's official site. That ambition is now reality.
Neto recalls watching the 2010 World Cup with a friend in Braga and hoping to one day follow the players he supported. "It motivated a lot," he told Chelsea. "After that, you start to feel like you want to be there one day. Of course, you dream and say 'I'm capable of it'."
He named Ronaldo first when asked about past tournament heroes, alongside Lionel Messi, Neymar in 2018 and Eden Hazard with Belgium. For a Chelsea winger raised on those images, wearing Portugal's shirt beside Ronaldo carries extra weight.
How has Pedro Neto performed at the 2026 World Cup so far?
Neto has appeared in both of Portugal's opening group games at this summer's tournament. He provided an assist in the opener against DR Congo and started the team's convincing 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan.
Those minutes sit alongside one of his idols. Ronaldo, now 41, is still making his mark on the biggest stage, with two goals in the Uzbekistan win. That kind of sustained peak performance is exactly what fans in the longevity and biohacking space watch closely: elite athletes who remain decisive deep into their careers.
Neto told Chelsea he hopes this summer he can help the team deliver on the dream he carried since Braga.
What did Pedro Neto say about Cristiano Ronaldo's goals?
Separate from Chelsea's interview, video coverage shared by Yahoo Sports and OneFootball shows Neto addressing Ronaldo's scoring exploits at a Portugal press session. The winger shared the dressing room's thoughts on Ronaldo's goals during the tournament.
Yahoo Sports reported that Neto also reacted with good humour to being voted the tournament's best-looking player. OneFootball published the same press-session clip from the Portuguese Football Federation.
What comes next for Portugal at the World Cup?
Portugal's final group match is against already-qualified Colombia in the early hours of Sunday morning UK time. A win would send them through as Group K winners.
For Pedro Neto, the path from a Braga living room to a World Cup knockout push is nearly complete. Following famous Portuguese footsteps, in his telling, means turning childhood admiration into present-tense contribution — with Ronaldo still scoring at 41.