Cristiano Ronaldo once again took center stage at the 2026 World Cup, but this time not only because of his goal against Croatia.
Shortly before taking the penalty, cameras caught the Portuguese star moving his lips while repeating a brief phrase. Just a few seconds were enough for the video to start going viral and for thousands of people to try to figure out exactly what he had said.
One of the most widely shared theories holds that Cristiano said “Bismillah”, an Arabic expression meaning “In the name of God” that millions of Muslims use before beginning an important action or to ask for protection and blessing.
The phrase is even known for appearing in Queen’s famous song “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
However, that interpretation is far from being a fact.
Several users, along with audio analysis and lip-reading tools, argue that Ronaldo was most likely saying something completely different: “vais marcar, vais marcar”, a Portuguese expression that can be translated as “you’re going to score” or “you’re going to put it in the net”, as a kind of motivational message to himself.
The confusion is also explained by the fact that the pronunciation of the letter V in Portuguese can sound very similar to a B for those who do not speak the language, making both phrases seem similar when observing only the movement of the lips.
So far, Cristiano Ronaldo has not explained what he said before taking the penalty, so everything remains a matter of speculation.
That said, the video has already sparked a curious debate among fans, who are analyzing the footage over and over again in an attempt to discover which phrase the Portuguese star actually said seconds before scoring.
Here is the moment:
From another angle: