Portugal coach Roberto Martínez has named veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo in his squad for the upcoming Nations League matches, despite the 39-year-old’s disappointing performance at Euro 2024.
Martínez announced the squad on Friday for Portugal’s home games against Croatia on September 5 and Scotland on September 8.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who holds the record of 130 goals for the national team, failed to score in all five of Portugal’s matches at Euro 2024, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by France in a penalty shootout.
The coach said that his team is starting “a new cycle for the 2026 World Cup”, where Ronaldo would be 41 years old by the time the tournament in North America kicks off.
However, Martínez emphasized that Ronaldo’s level is “unique” and that he is in a “good moment” for the national team currently.
Ronaldo’s inclusion in the squad comes after his predecessor Fernando Santos had controversially benched him midway through the 2022 World Cup, where he scored in the opening win over Ghana but then went scoreless in the next four games, including a quarterfinal upset loss to Morocco.
Portugal Squad for UEFA Nations League
The Portugal squad for the Nations League matches is as follows:
- Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), José Sá (Wolverhampton), Rui Silva (Real Betis)
- Defenders: Rúben Dias (Manchester City), António Silva (Benfica), Renato Veiga (Chelsea), Gonçalo Inacio (Sporting), Tiago Santos (Lille), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Nélson Semedo (Wolves)
- Midfielders: João Palhinha (Bayern Munich), João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Rúben Neves (Al-Hilal), João Félix (Chelsea), Francisco Trincão (Sporting), Pedro Gonçalves (Sporting)
- Forwards: Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Geovany Quenda (Sporting), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Diogo Jota (Liverpool)
Despite his advancing age, Ronaldo’s inclusion in the squad underscores his continued importance to the Portuguese national team.
As they embark on a new cycle towards the World Cup 2026, Martínez will be hoping that Ronaldo can rediscover his scoring touch and lead Portugal to success in the upcoming Nations League matches.
