Portugal names 26-man squad for 2026 World Cup
Portugal announced a 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attack. The squad comes after the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a road accident last year, a loss that shocked the nation. Veteran Luis Figo and former centre‑forwards João Pinto, Nuno Gomes, Pauleta and Helder Postiga are cited as part of Portugal’s football heritage, while Roberto Martinez remains the head coach. Portugal reached the UEFA EUROs final ten years ago.
The goalkeeping trio consists of Diogo Costa of Porto, Jose Sa of Wolves and Rui Silva of Sporting CP. Defenders include Ruben Dias of Manchester City, Tomas Araujo of Benfica, Nelson Semedo of Fenerbahce, Diogo Dalot of Manchester United, Renato Veiga of Villarreal, Matheus Nunes of Manchester City, Goncalo Inacio of Sporting CP, Joao Cancelo of Barcelona and Nuno Mendes of Paris St-Germain.
In midfield, Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United, Bernardo Silva of Manchester City, Joao Neves of Paris St-Germain, Trincao of Sporting CP, Ruben Neves of Al Hilal, Vitinha of Paris St-Germain, Samu of Mallorca and Francisco Conceicao of Juventus form the core. The midfield is described as world‑class, anchored by Champions League winners Vitinha and Joao Neves.
Up front, Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr is joined by Goncalo Ramos of Paris St-Germain, Joao Felix of Al Nassr, Rafael Leao of AC Milan, Pedro Neto of Chelsea and Goncalo Guedes of Real Sociedad. The attack relies on Ronaldo’s finishing, though his age is noted as a weakness that could affect high‑pressing tactics. Portugal entered the tournament after winning the UEFA Nations League last year.
Martinez’s plan favours a 4‑2‑3‑1 shape, with Costa in goal, Cancelo, Dias, Inacio and Mendes as the back four, João Neves and Vitinha as the double pivot, Silva, Fernandes and Leão in the attacking midfield, and Ronaldo leading the line. The team aims to top its group containing Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan, but ultimate success against Argentina, Brazil or England will depend on how Martinez manages his talisman. The squad was unveiled in Dublin, Ireland, ahead of a qualifier on November 13, 2025, captured by photographer Charles McQuillan.