Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo may have struggled for first-team football at Manchester United this season but is in Portugal’s 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup. The 37-year-old has played 16 times, including 10 starts, for the Premier League club this season and scored three goals.
The head coach of the club talking about him said: “All the players called up come with the hunger to win and make Portugal world champions, Ronaldo included.” There are 10 players from the Premier League in the squad.
Ronaldo’s club team-mates Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva, Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and Wolves trio Jose Sa, Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes have all been selected.
However, there were no spots for veteran Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho and club team-mate Goncalo Guedes, with Paris St-Germain midfielder Renato Sanches also missing out. Portugal will be without injured Liverpool forward Diogo Jota but Porto defender Pepe, 39, makes the cut.
Portugal, who are in Group H, open their World Cup campaign against Ghana on 24 November before taking on Uruguay on 28 November and South Korea on 2 December.
Goalkeepers:
Diogo Costa (Porto), Rui Patricio (AS Roma), Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Defenders:
Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), Nuno Mendes (Paris St-Germain), Pepe (Porto), Danilo Pereira (Paris St-Germain), Antonio Silva (Benfica)
Midfielders:
William Carvalho (Real Betis), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Joao Mario (Benfica), Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Otavio (Porto), Joao Palhinha (Fulham), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Vitinha (Paris St-Germain)
Forwards:
Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid), Ricardo Horta (SC Braga), Rafael Leao (AC Milan), Goncalo Ramos (Benfica), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Andre Silva (RB Leipzig)