Cristiano Ronaldo named in Portugal's World Cup squad

Portugal has named Cristiano Ronaldo in their 2026 World Cup squad as part of an initial 27-man group for the upcoming tournament. Ronaldo's participation will mark an unprecedented sixth appearance in a World Cup, a feat that no male footballer has achieved thus far. He is expected to achieve this milestone unless hindered by injuries. Should he be called up by Argentina, Lionel Messi would also join Ronaldo with six World Cup appearances.

The squad named by manager Roberto Martinez features notable players including Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Nuno Mendes. Four goalkeepers have been called up, but one will be omitted before the final deadline. Among the surprises is former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Goncalo Guedes, now at Real Sociedad, who made a return to the national team setup in March after a four-year hiatus. Additionally, four-times-capped Mallorca defensive midfielder Samuel Costa made the squad, beating out high-profile players such as Joao Palhinha and Mateus Fernandes, who did not make the final cut despite their experience.

Notably absent from the squad are Benfica defender Antonio Silva, forward Paulinho, Pedro Goncalves, Ricardo Horta, and Porto youngster Ricardo Mora. Portugal is considered one of the favorites to win the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, which would be a historic achievement for the nation. Previously, Portugal reached the semi-finals in 1966 and 2006.

Under Martinez’s guidance, Portugal's team has been drawn into Group K alongside Colombia, Uzbekistan, and DR Congo. Last year, Martinez led Portugal to victory in the Nations League final against Spain.

As part of their preparations for the tournament, Portugal is scheduled to play friendly matches against Chile on June 6th and Nigeria on June 10th.

The full squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolves), Rui Silva (Sporting CP), Ricardo Velho (Genclerbirligi, on loan from Farense)
Defenders: Joao Cancelo (Barcelona, on loan from Al Hilal), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Tomas Araujo (Benfica), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Nelson Semedo (Fenerbahce)
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Joao Neves (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Ruben Neves (Al Hilal), Samuel Costa (Mallorca)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Goncalo Ramos (PSG), Rafael Leao (Milan), Francisco Trincao (Sporting CP), Joao Felix (Al Nassr), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Francisco Conceicao (Juventus), Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad)

Cristiano Ronaldo, at the age of 41, is set to take the spotlight once more as he embarks on his sixth World Cup and his twelfth major tournament overall. Despite concerns regarding his performance, particularly after Euro 2024, he remains a key figure for Portugal. Martinez retained Ronaldo in the squad despite his lackluster displays at the European Championship. The forward's focus on his personal performance will be critical, especially as he seeks to become the first player to score in six World Cups and to finally find the back of the net in the knockout stages of the tournament.