Cristiano Ronaldo to Miss Portugal's Pre-World Cup Friendlies
Portugal will be without their legendary forward Cristiano Ronaldo for the crucial pre-World Cup friendlies against the United States and Mexico. The 41-year-old superstar has been sidelined since 28 February with a hamstring injury, which he sustained during Al-Nassr's 3-1 Saudi Pro League victory over Al-Fayha.
Injury Forces Ronaldo's Absence
As anticipated, Portugal coach Roberto Martínez omitted the five-time Ballon d'Or winner from the squad announced on Friday 20 March 2026. Ronaldo, who holds the record for most goals in men's international football with an impressive 143 strikes for his country, will miss both the Mexico clash in Mexico City on 28 March and the United States fixture in Atlanta on 1 April.
The veteran forward had been a doubt for these two friendlies after previously travelling to Spain for specialised rehabilitation to recover from his hamstring issue. Despite his age, Ronaldo has maintained remarkable form this season, netting 21 goals in just 22 games in the Saudi Pro League.
Portugal Squad Announcement
While Ronaldo will be absent, his Al-Nassr teammate João Félix has been included in the squad for the two friendlies. The World Cup tournament itself is scheduled to begin in June, making these preparatory matches particularly important for Portugal's final preparations.
The complete Portugal squad for the friendlies includes:
- Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), José Sá (Wolverhampton), Rui Silva (Sporting Lisbon)
- Defenders: Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), João Cancelo (Barcelona), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), António Silva (Benfica), Tomás Araújo (Benfica)
- Midfielders: Rúben Neves (Al-Hilal), Samú Costa (Mallorca), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham), João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Rodrigo Mora (FC Porto)
- Forwards: Ricardo Horta (Braga), Pedro Gonçalves (Sporting Lisbon), João Félix (Al-Nassr), Francisco Trincão (Sporting Lisbon), Francisco Conceição (Juventus), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Gonçalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Gonçalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain)
Portugal will need to demonstrate their strength and tactical flexibility without their record-breaking forward during these important warm-up matches ahead of the World Cup tournament in June.
