Cristiano Ronaldo named in Portugal squad for sixth World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named in Portugal's squad for the 2026 World Cup, marking his sixth appearance at the tournament. The 41-year-old forward was included in a 27-man group announced Tuesday by manager Roberto Martinez.

Ronaldo will become the first male footballer to appear at six World Cups, barring injuries. Lionel Messi of Argentina is also set to reach six World Cup appearances if selected for the tournament.

The Portugal squad features several players from Europe's top clubs. Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos, who won the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, are included alongside Bernardo Silva of Manchester City and Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United. João Félix, Ronaldo's Al-Nassr teammate, was also selected. Gonçalo Guedes of Real Sociedad returned to the national setup after a four-year absence.

Portugal's group stage matches are scheduled for June 17 against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Houston, June 23 against Uzbekistan in the same venue, and June 27 against Colombia in Miami. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Martinez named four goalkeepers in the initial squad: Diogo Costa of Porto, Rui Silva of Sporting, José Sá of Wolverhampton, and Ricardo Velho of Gençlerbirligi Ankara. Velho will travel with the squad but can only be added to the official 26-man list in the event of injury to one of the three registered keepers. Martinez stated that Velho understands he is the fourth choice and will not be registered for the tournament, though the player wishes to help Portugal if needed.

At a press conference at Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras near Lisbon, Martinez highlighted the flexibility of Guedes, noting he can play on the wings, in the center, and create space on the counterattack. The manager also acknowledged the difficulty of the selection process, saying it was a sad day because players who have accompanied the team had to be left out, including Rodrigo Mora, Ricardo Horta, Mateus Fernandes and Pedro Gonçalves.

Ronaldo confirmed in November 2025 during a summit in Saudi Arabia that the 2026 World Cup would be his last. The forward, who holds the men's record for international appearances with 226 caps and 143 goals, has been playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr since January 2023. He was injured in late February but recovered in time for the tournament. He missed Portugal's March friendlies against Mexico and the United States due to the injury.

Ronaldo is eligible for all of Portugal's group matches after avoiding a three-match ban following a red card in the penultimate World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in November. Portugal are the reigning Nations League champions.