Lisbon, Nov 11: Cristiano Ronaldo will enter his fifth World Cup with a Portugal squad filled with talented players but that will be missing some national team regulars.
Ronaldo will team up with Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and João Félix, but among those not included in the list of 26 players selected by coach Fernando Santos on Thursday were José Fonte, Gonçalo Guedes, Renato Sanches and João Moutinho, the player with the second-most appearances with the national team behind Ronaldo.
Also not going to Qatar is Liverpool’s Diogo Jota because of an injury.
“I made these choices and I take the responsibility for them,” Santos said. “I’m the one who had to make these decisions. I can only take 26 players and these are the ones that I picked.”
Others who made the squad include João Cancelo, Rúben Dias and 39-year-old central defender Pepe.
Defender António Silva, who is 19 and received his first call up, also will be going to Qatar.
“Once again, ready to take Portugal’s name to the top,” Ronaldo said on Instagram.
“These are the 26 names in the list of coach Fernando Santos, but we have all been summoned,” he further added. (AP)
Portugal squad:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Rui Patricio, José Sá
Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Danilo Pereira, João Cancelo, António Silva, Pepe, Rúben Dias, Nuno Mendes, Raphael Guerreiro.
Midfielders: William Carvalho, Rúben Neves, Otávio Monteiro, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Bruno Fernandes, João Mário, João Palhinha, Vitinha.
Forwards: André Silva, Ricardo Horta, Cristiano Ronaldo, João Félix, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Ramos.