Portugal are the latest powerhouse to lock in their initial 27-man roster for the 2026 World Cup in North America. Naturally, Cristiano Ronaldo captains the ship, leading a squad that underwent a massive structural overhaul, with manager Roberto Martinez replacing 11 players from the group that traveled to Qatar in 2022.
With several mainstay fixtures completely absent from the squad—most notably Pepe and Raphael Guerreiro—Portugal are betting on a new generation to capture their first-ever World Cup title. These are the 11 Qatar 2022 veterans whom Martinez ultimately left off the 2026 roster:
- Rui Patricio
- Pepe
- Antonio Silva
- Raphael Guerreiro
- William Carvalho
- Danilo Pereira
- Otavio
- Joao Palhinha
- Joao Mario
- Ricardo Horta
- Andre Silva
While legendary figures like Pepe have officially hung up their boots, the omission of veterans like Rui Patricio and Raphael Guerreiro mark a distinct changing of the guard. Both had been virtually untouchable on the international stage, but inconsistent club campaigns left them on the outside looking in.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.
Portugal shake up the blueprint for North America
As Cristiano Ronaldo pushes to win his first official title with Al Nassr, in the global stage he is surrounded by a contingent of in-form stars. Portugal want to prove they have the depth to finally secure soccer’s ultimate prize, looking to break through a glass ceiling that previously halted them in the semifinals in 1966 and 2006.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal secure opponents for June FIFA friendlies before 2026 World Cup
With 11 veterans out, 12 fresh faces have stepped into Portugal’s 27-man bubble, as Martinez decided to call up a fourth goalkeeper, but just three of them will be traveling to the World Cup. Here are the newcomers tasked with injecting life into the squad’s championship ambitions in North America:
- Ricardo Velho
- Rui Silva
- Matheus Nunes
- Nelson Semedo
- Goncalo Inacio
- Renato Veiga
- Tomas Araujo
- Samuel Costa
- Joao Neves
- Goncalo Guedes
- Trincao
- Francisco Conceicao
Portugal’s initial 27-man World Cup roster
Beyond the 12 fresh call-ups integrated by Martinez, the core of the roster relies on 15 battle-tested veterans from the Qatar 2022 cycle. Here is the initial squad list heading into the World Cup:
- Goalkeepers
- Diogo Costa (FC Porto)
- Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
- Rui Silva (Sporting CP)
- Ricardo Velho (Genclerbirligi)
- Defenders
- Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
- Joao Cancelo (Barcelona)
- Diogo Dalot (Manchester United)
- Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Nelson Semedo (Fenerbahce)
- Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP)
- Matheus Nunes (Manchester City)
- Renato Veiga (Villarreal)
- Tomas Araujo (S.L. Benfica)
- Midfielders
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
- Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
- Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
- João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Ruben Neves (Al Hilal)
- Samu Costa (RCD Mallorca)
- Mateus Fernandes (West Ham United)
- Joao Felix (Al Nassr)
- Forwards
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)
- Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
- Goncalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Pedro Neto (Chelsea)
- Francisco Conceicao (Juventus)
- Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad)
SurveyWill Portugal become world champion with this squad in North America?
Will Portugal become world champion with this squad in North America?
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