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Portugal’s defender #19 Nuno Mendes (C) reacts as he leaves the pitch after sustaining an injury during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group H football match between Portugal and Uruguay at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on November 28, 2022. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
DOHA : Cristiano Ronaldo, appearing in his fifth World Cup, will spearhead Portugal's attack against Ghana alongside Joao Felix in their opening Group H match on Thursday.
Fernando Santos's Portugal warmed up for the World Cup with victory in Lisbon, although preparations for the match were overshadowed by an explosive interview given by Ronaldo earlier in the week.
Bruno Fernandes scored twice in the first half and debutant Goncalo Ramos and Joao Mario added late goals as Portugal crushed Nigeria 4-0 in a World Cup warm-up in Lisbon on Thursday.
Omonia’s Nigerian goalkeeper Francis Uzoho (R) shares a joke with Manchester United’s Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo (L) during the UEFA Europa League Group E football match between Manchester United and Omonoia Nicosia, at Old Trafford stadium, in Manchester, north-west England, on October 13, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
DUBAI: 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 João Moutinho, José Fonte and Renato Sanches. Also not going to Qatar is Liverpool’s Diogo Jota because of an injury. 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. The 37-year-old Ronaldo has been showing signs of a decline for the first time in his career but will still be the leader for a Portugal squad seeking their first World Cup title. After finally earning a major international trophy at the 2016 European Championship, Portugal also added the title of the inaugural edition of the Nations League at home in 2019. But they didn’t make it past the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup or at Euro 2020.
The Manchester United striker, 37, has not been first choice for his club this season but will be part of his country's bid to win the tournament for the first time in their history.
Portugal manager Fernando Santos named his 26-man squad on Thursday for the World Cup in Qatar.