A wave of outrage from fans forced FIFA to delete the first 2026 World Cup poster after it noticeably left out Cristiano Ronaldo. But in the newly reuploaded version, even though Ronaldo has been added, the spotlight still sits firmly on Messi holding the golden trophy — along with several details that many believe are meant to “provoke” Portuguese supporters.

🔥 The first 2026 World Cup poster that sparked chaos

FIFA kicked off its promotional campaign for the 2026 World Cup with a poster featuring a lineup of top football stars: Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Mohamed Salah, Christian Pulisic, and Lionel Messi front and center. But what truly set the football community on fire was the puzzling absence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

FIFA removes the original poster that excluded Ronaldo

While every other team was represented by a major star, Portugal appeared on the poster with Bruno Fernandes instead of Cristiano Ronaldo — a player who has been synonymous with the World Cup for nearly two decades.

According to multiple sources, FIFA was forced to take down the first poster after a flood of critical comments poured in. With 42 teams already qualified for the 2026 World Cup and the draw set for December 5, every move FIFA makes is being watched closely.

Football fans didn’t hesitate to voice their frustration. Many said that leaving Ronaldo out of the poster was “incomprehensible,” especially given that he remains one of the most influential and marketable athletes on the planet. One standout comment read: “Leaving Ronaldo out of a marketing poster is just a mistake.” Another added: “For almost 20 years, Ronaldo has been the face of every World Cup.”

FIFA has not issued an official explanation, but the fact that the image was removed and replaced with a new version speaks volumes.

⚽ The new poster appears to “shade” Ronaldo

FIFA quickly released another poster, this time featuring Ronaldo. However, it’s easy to see that the spotlight is still firmly on Lionel Messi. Positioned at the very center, Messi is shown lifting the golden trophy Argentina won in Qatar — a detail many fans believe is another subtle dig at Ronaldo.

                                                Ronaldo appears on FIFA’s new poster

The updated poster includes several symbolic moments that have sparked mixed emotions. Among them are Emiliano Martínez’s iconic save against Randal Kolo Muani in the final, Gonzalo Montiel’s decisive penalty kick, and — most notably — Youssef En-Nesyri’s towering header that knocked Portugal out of the 2022 World Cup.

These details have led many to believe that even though FIFA added Ronaldo back in, they still intentionally included moments meant to “jab” at the 39-year-old superstar.

🚨 Could Ronaldo miss several matches at the 2026 World Cup?

Just as the poster controversy began to cool down, questions about Ronaldo’s availability for the 2026 World Cup emerged. In the qualifier against Ireland, he received a straight red card for elbowing Dara O’Shea.

CR7 then missed the following match against Armenia, where Portugal secured their ticket to the World Cup. However, because a direct red card can result in an extended suspension, Ronaldo is at risk of being ruled out for several additional “official” matches — meaning he could miss part of the group stage next year.

🗣️ Ronaldo: “I don’t dream about the World Cup”

Amid the debate, Cristiano Ronaldo also shared his personal viewpoint. In a previous interview with Piers Morgan, the Portuguese forward insisted that his legacy does not depend on winning the World Cup.

“If you ask me, Cristiano, is winning the World Cup my dream? No, it is not,” Ronaldo said. “Define what? To define whether I’m one of the best in history based on winning a tournament of six or seven games? Do you think that’s fair?”