Cristiano Ronaldo returns to the forefront as Portugal prepare for the Nations League matches. The coach Roberto Martinez announced this Friday the inclusion of Ronaldo for the matches against Croatia on September 5 and Scotland on September 8.
This follows Ronaldo’s lacklustre Euro 2024 campaign, in which he failed to score in five games, leading to Portugal’s quarter-final exit against France on penalties.
At 39, Ronaldo holds the record for most international goals scored by a male footballer, with a total of 130. Despite his illustrious record, his recent form has raised questions.
A new cycle for the Portuguese national team?
Following Portugal’s early exit from Euro 2024, Martinez said the team was entering “a new cycle” focused on the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
As the World Cup approaches, speculation continues over Ronaldo’s future. After Euro 2024, Martinez admitted that he was “Too early” to decide whether Cristiano Ronaldo had played his last game for PortugalThe upcoming Nations League matches will therefore be crucial in determining the striker’s place in the national team.
Ronaldo’s inclusion is in stark contrast to his experience during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. At the 2022 tournament, he scored in Portugal’s opening game against Ghana but was benched by then-coach Fernando Santos, and subsequently failed to score in the remaining matches, including a heavy quarter-final defeat to Morocco.
Call-up for the Nations League
Martínez’s squad presents a balanced mix of experience and youth. Among the goalkeepers are: Diogo Costa, from FC Porto, José Sá, from Wolverhampton, and Rui Silva, from Real Betis. In defensePortugal has players such as Manchester City’s Ruben Dias and Benfica’s António Silva.
Among the midfielders are: João Palhinha, from Bayern Munich, and Bruno Fernandes, from Manchester United. The frontIn addition to Ronaldo, the club also features talents such as Rafael Leão from AC Milan and Diogo Jota from Liverpool.
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