Top News

SURABAYA - The long Super League break has not kept Persebaya Surabaya’s foreign defender, Risto Mitrevski, away from the football pitch.

The North Macedonian player has decided to fly to the American continent to experience the atmosphere of the 2026 World Cup firsthand.

This step by Risto Mitrevski is also his way of supporting his favourite national team, Portugal, led by superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

New Format for the Biggest Tournament

The world’s most celebrated football event will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

The 2026 World Cup is set to be the largest in the tournament’s history.

For the first time ever, the prestigious competition will be hosted across three countries and will feature 48 national teams, an increase from the previous 32-team format.

Risto Mitrevski confirmed that he plans to watch some of the 2026 World Cup matches live.

The timing is ideal, as the World Cup coincides with the Super League’s mid-season break.

“I will watch the World Cup. Supporting Portugal. Supporting Cristiano Ronaldo. Let’s see how it goes,” said Risto Mitrevski.

Backing Portugal’s Historic Mission

In the 2026 World Cup, Portugal will compete in Group K alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia.

Although Portugal is recognised as one of the world’s football powerhouses, the team has never won a World Cup title.

Their best achievement in the tournament’s history was finishing third in the 1966 World Cup in England.

Portugal also reached the fourth place in the 2006 World Cup held in Germany.

With this in mind, the Portuguese national team is entering the 2026 World Cup with renewed motivation.

Portugal’s squad features a lineup of highly skilled and experienced players, including veteran captain Cristiano Ronaldo.

The team also boasts a mix of star players from top European clubs such as Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rafael Leao, Matheus Nunes, and Pedro Neto.

In the group stage, Portugal will face a formidable opponent in Colombia.

The Colombian team’s best performance came when they reached the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Other strong showings by Colombia include advancing to the Round of 16 in the 1990 World Cup in Italy and the 2018 edition in Russia.

Meanwhile, the other two teams in Group K, Uzbekistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will be making their first appearances in the World Cup under the new format.

However, the DR Congo previously participated in the 1974 World Cup when the country was known as Zaire.

Additional Matches to Watch in Group L

Besides focusing on his favourite team’s group, Risto Mitrevski revealed that there are other matches he plans to attend.

“Of course, Croatia too. So that’s it,” Risto added.

In the 2026 World Cup, Croatia will compete in Group L alongside England, Ghana, and Panama.

In addition to watching the World Cup matches live in the stadiums, Risto plans to make the most of the break by spending time on vacation with his extended family.

Despite being on holiday, Risto emphasized that he will not neglect his responsibilities as a professional player for the Green Force.

“I will enjoy my vacation. Of course, I will keep training to maintain my fitness and return in top physical condition for next season,” concluded Risto Mitrevski.