Cristiano Ronaldo has been excluded from Portugal‘s roster for the upcoming World Cup warmup matches against Mexico and the United States due to an unresolved right hamstring injury.
The 41-year-old captain’s fitness was in doubt following the injury he sustained while playing for Saudi Pro League leaders Al Nassr on February 28.
Ronaldo has been receiving treatment in Madrid over the past two weeks but will not participate in the match against Mexico at the renovated Azteca Stadium on March 28 or the encounter with the United States on March 31 in Atlanta, Georgia.
This will mark the first time Ronaldo has not played in the U.S. since 2014, when he participated in Real Madrid’s preseason tour.
Portugal is set to kick off its World Cup journey in Houston on June 17 against a yet-to-be-determined opponent from this month’s playoff tournament.
Portugal’s coach, Roberto Martínez, reassured supporters that Ronaldo is not in jeopardy of missing what would be his sixth World Cup appearance. “No, he’s not at risk,” he stated during the announcement of his 27-man squad on Friday. “It’s just a minor muscle injury, and we expect him to be back in a week or two.”
“Everything Cristiano has done in terms of physical training this season indicates he’s in excellent shape.”
Ronaldo made his first public return to the U.S. since that 2014 tour by attending a dinner at the White House last November hosted by President Donald Trump in honor of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football, with 143 goals, and he missed Portugal’s final 2025 match, a 9-1 win over Armenia in the World Cup qualifiers on November 16, due to suspension.
Ronaldo’s in-form Al Nassr teammate João Félix and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, with seven goals and 16 assists in 27 league games this season, are included in the squad.
West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes has earned his first call-up, joining five other players from the Premier League in Portugal’s squad. Real Sociedad winger Gonçalo Guedes returns, having not played for the national team since 2022.
“Guedes is a versatile player,” Martínez commented. “He’s scored nine goals this season and is in fantastic form.
“He’s a game-changer, a player we’re very interested in. For the World Cup, the center-forward positions are secured by Cristiano and Gonçalo Ramos, and we’re looking for a striker with a different profile.
“With his current form, he deserves a call-up. We’re all very eager to see what he can contribute to the national team in these friendly matches.”
Portugal squad: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), José Sá (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Silva (Sporting CP); Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), João Cancelo (FC Barcelona), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), António Silva (SL Benfica), Tomás Araújo (SL Benfica); Rúben Neves (Al Hilal), Samú Costa (Mallorca), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham), João Neves (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) and Rodrigo Mora (FC Porto); Ricardo Horta (SC Braga), Pedro Gonçalves (Sporting CP), João Félix (Al Nassr), Francisco Trincão (Sporting CP), Francisco Conceição (Juventus), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Gonçalo Guedes (Real Sociedad) and Gonçalo Ramos (PSG).