Ikmal Tobing Predicts Portugal to Lift World Cup Trophy

Kapanlagi.com - Drummer Ikmal Tobing admits he never misses the developments in international football. The musician, known as a die-hard Manchester United fan, already has a favorite to win the World Cup title this year.

Ikmal openly supports the Portugal national team as the strongest candidate to lift the trophy. His confidence is bolstered by Portugal's solid performance and the presence of captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who remains a central figure in the team.

"This year, God willing, with what we've seen, it seems like it will be our captain Siu. Hopefully, Portugal will be the champion," said Ikmal Tobing when met in the Kemang area, South Jakarta, on Monday (22/6/2026).

Although he supports Portugal, Ikmal believes the competition in this tournament is very tight. He sees several countries starting to show rapid development and has the potential to provide surprises, including Japan, which is considered to have great ambitions to compete at the highest level.

"But there are so many unexpected teams now. Japan is also claiming their target is the world champion. That's really amazing. We don't know how their players are. England is also good, Norway is okay, but I'm supporting Portugal," he said.

1. Responding to the Series Results in Portugal's Opening Match

Ikmal also responded to the opening match that ended in a draw. According to him, such a situation is common in football. He believes Cristiano Ronaldo can bounce back and show his quality in the next match.

"It's normal, the ball is round. So maybe our captain is under pressure because other star players have started scoring some goals," he said.

"But I believe 100 percent, in the next match he will definitely give something that people might not expect. That's normal for our captain," he added.

As this news was released, Portugal had just convincingly defeated Uzbekistan with a score of 5-0.

2. Ideal Final

When asked about his dream final match, Ikmal hopes Portugal can advance to the final and face another strong European team. According to him, a duel between Portugal and England would be an exciting match to watch.

"Portugal versus England. That would be strong too. But yesterday even though England's defense was a bit shaky, so maybe besides Portugal, Norway could be a contender," concluded Ikmal.

(kpl/far/ums)