Martinez announced the squad on Friday(30th August 2024) for its home games versus Croatia on Sept. 5 and Scotland on Sept. 8.Cristiano Ronaldo has included by Portugal coach Roberto Martinez in his squad list for the first two Nations League matches following the veteran forward’s disappointing Championship.
The 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo carries the records of 130 goals in international men’s football. But at Euro 2024 he went scoreless in all five of Portugal’s games before it was eliminated in a penalty shootout by France in the quarterfinals.
According to Portugal coach Roberto Martinez after Euro 2024 his team is starting ” a new cycle for the 2026 World cup.”
Ronaldo would be 41 by the time that championship in North America begins.
After predecessor Fernando Santos had stunned his team and nation, by benching him midway through the World cup 2022 Martinez restored Ronaldo to his place in the starting lineup.In 2022 World cup he scored in an opening win over Ghana but after that game went scoreless over the next four games which also include a quarterfinal upset loss to Morocco.
Portugal squad
Goalkeepers : Diogo Costa (FC Porto),Rui Silva (Real Betis),Jose Sa (Wolverhampton).
Defenders : Ruben Dias(Manchester city),Nelson Semedo(Wolverhampton), Antonio Silva(Benfica), Nuno Mendes(Paris Saint-Germain), Renato Veiga(Chelsea),Diogo Dalot(Manchester United),Goncalo Inacio( Sporting).Tiago Santos(Lille).
Midfielders :João Palhinha (Bayern Munich), Joao Neves(Paris Saint-Germain), Francisco Trincao(Sporting), Pedro Goncalves (Sporting), Vitinha(Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes(Manchester United),Bernardo Silva (Manchester City),Ruben Neves(Al-Hilal), Joao Felix(Chelsea).
Forwards: Rafael Leao(AC Milan), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Geovany Quenda(Sporting),Pedro Neto(Chelsea), Cristiano Ronaldo(Al Nassr)