Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing in his sixth World Cup finals for Portugal in World Cup 2026, and the 41-year-old striker remains one of the top draws, not only in Group K but also the whole quadrennial tournament.
But while the spotlight will focus heavily on Ronaldo, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia won’t mind lurking in the shadows, as they’ll likely battle for the other Top 2 spot in Group K. The World Cup 2026 odds predict it will be a close fight, with Colombia having the edge out of the three.
Given the crop of attackers from Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia, Group K could be a hotbed of World Cup 2026 highlights in Zapopan, Mexico.
SBOTOP football fans are in for a huge treat, and they shouldn’t overlook Group K. And today, we’ll break down the top players to watch from this group.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
I previously said that World Cup 2022 was the swansong for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and boy, I was wrong, as both generational stars are still representing their nations four years later.
Since the previous finals, Ronaldo has brought his talents to Saudi Arabia, having played for Al-Nassr in the past four years, and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is still going strong, thanks to his meticulous health regimen. He is chasing the mythical 1,000-goal milestone in official competitive matches, and he is only 27 goals away.
Ronaldo was the driving force behind Al-Nassr’s recent Saudi Pro League triumph, leading the team in scoring with 28 goals and two assists. During the World Cup 2026 UEFA qualifiers, he finished as the national team’s top scorer with five goals, helping Portugal clinch their spot in Group F with ease.
However, Ronaldo’s recent qualifiers journey wasn’t without controversy. During their 2-0 loss to the Republic of Ireland last November, he received the first red card of his record-breaking international career for his vicious elbow on Dara O’Shea, which normally carries a three-match ban.
But Ronaldo had the second and third matches suspended for a year after he sat out their match against Armenia. This favourable FIFA verdict means that he’ll be available for selection in their first game against DR Congo.
Luis Diaz, Colombia
Colombia are back in the World Cup after placing third behind Argentina and Ecuador in the CONMEBOL qualifiers table, and they have Luis Diaz to largely thank for that. The Bayern Munich winger was among the tournament’s top scorers with seven goals (only one behind frontrunner Lionel Messi). Most recently, Diaz was also on the scoresheet during La Tricolor’s 3-1 friendly win against Costa Rica.
Diaz also helped Bayern Munich win two domestic trophies this term: the DFB-Pokal and the Bundesliga. He is Die Bayern’s joint-second-leading scorer behind Harry Kane. Diaz’s 15 goals are level with Michael Olise, and he’s also the team’s second-best playmaker with 14 assists.
The 29-year-old is in his prime, and Diaz is slowly climbing up Colombia’s all-time scoring list. At 22 goals in 73 caps, Diaz is four goals away from surpassing Arnoldo Iguaran in third place and 10 away from teammate James Rodriguez.
The good news for Colombia is that Diaz won’t need to do it alone in the World Cup, as he has Cucho Hernandez, Luis Suarez (from Sporting), and Jhon Cordoba joining him in the final third. James Rodriguez, Jhon Arias, Jefferson Lerma, Davinson Sanchez, Yerry Mina, Jhon Lucumi, and Daniel Munoz will also provide additional star power for La Tricolor.
Cedric Bakambu, DR Congo
Despite his advancing age, Cedric Bakambu received another call-up to represent DR Congo in the World Cup, as the 35-year-old is coming off a productive 2025-26 campaign.
Bakambu is one of the reasons Real Betis are back in the Champions League, as he notched three goals and one assist, albeit as the backup striker behind Cucho Hernandez. Standing above 6’0″, Bakambu will make his presence felt in the final third with his aerial ability and physicality. With Yoane Wissa still out of form, DR Congo may stick with Bakambu up front for a while.
DR Congo will fancy their chances in Group K because of their fairly robust European contingent. Besides Bakambu and Wissa, the Leopards also have Noah Sadiki, Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Arthur Masuaku. During the World Cup 2026 CAF qualifiers, the battle-tested DR Congo had to go through the wringer. After finishing second in Group B, the Leopards had to beat Cameroon, Nigeria, and Jamaica in their wake to book their tickets to the Big Dance.
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