A close-up shot of Cristiano Ronaldo moments before taking a penalty in Portugal's round-of-32 match against Croatia at the 2026 World Cup has sparked widespread reaction on social media, after a number of viewers believed he could be heard reciting the phrase "Bismillah" in the seconds before striking the ball.
The widely shared video clip showed the Portugal captain mouthing words ahead of the spot kick, with many Arab fans interpreting them as the Islamic phrase "Bismillah." Some followers linked the moment to similar footage of Ronaldo seen during his time with Saudi club Al Nassr.
The penalty came while Portugal were trailing 1-0 following a goal by Ivan Perisic for Croatia, before Norwegian referee Espen Eskas awarded Portugal a penalty in the 65th minute.
Ronaldo converted the kick successfully — appearing to mouth words before striking the ball — beating goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic to give his side the equaliser, before he was substituted off in the 80th minute.
This habit has been observed on multiple occasions with Ronaldo, both at Al Nassr and with the Portugal national team, as he sometimes mouths brief phrases before set pieces — something some observers regard as part of his mental routine in the moments before he shoots.
Portugal went on to win the match 2-1 against Croatia, securing their place in the round of 16, where they will face Spain, as Croatia were eliminated from the tournament.