Cristiano Ronaldo reacts as Portugal lift historic FIFA U17 World Cup trophy

Portugal won the FIFA U17 World Cup after a tight 1–0 win over Austria in the final in Qatar. Anisio Cabral scored the only goal of the match in the 32nd minute at the Khalifa International Stadium, sealing a historic first title for Portugal at this level and capping off a year in which their youth program has made major strides.

Ronaldo reacts to the historic win

Cristiano Ronaldo shared his joy on social media soon after the final whistle. He congratulated the young squad and called it a proud moment for Portugal. His message quickly picked up attention among fans, and for many of these players, having their national icon acknowledge their achievement made the night even more special.

Portugal’s path to the title

Portugal started the tournament strongly. They opened with big wins against New Caledonia (6–1) and Morocco (6–0) before a narrow 2–1 loss to Japan pushed them into second place in their group. From the knockout rounds, they looked settled and confident. They beat Belgium 2–1 in the round of 32, dominated Mexico 5–0 in the round of 16, and controlled Switzerland 2–0 in the quarterfinal. Their semifinal against Brazil went down to penalties, where Portugal held their nerve to book a spot in the final.

Cabral and Mide lead the charge

Anisio Cabral finished the tournament with seven goals, the second-highest tally overall, and his calm finish in the final summed up his impact. Austria’s Johannes Moser edged him for the Golden Boot. Portugal’s Mateus Mide won the Golden Ball for his consistent and influential performances throughout the campaign.

A promising future for Portuguese football

The win has brought fresh excitement back home. With both the European U17 title and the World Cup secured in the same year, many believe this group could shape the senior national team in the years ahead. The next challenge is whether the senior side can carry this momentum into major tournaments in 2026 and 2027.