Portugal have confirmed their squad for Euro 2024 and named nine Premier League stars - including Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United duo Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes.
The Selecao have gone straight to picking 26 players ahead of the tournament in Germany, with Ronaldo expected to lead out his nation this summer. Ronaldo, 39, is set for his sixth European Championship after scoring a mammoth 48 goals in 48 matches for Al-Nassr this season.
He is joined alongside 41-year-old Pepe as the two oldest members of the Portugal squad. The veteran defender, who is their third-most capped player ever with 136, has been a stalwart for Porto this campaign and particularly impressed in the Champions League last 16 against Arsenal earlier this year.
A number of Premier League players are in. Wolves trio Jose Sa, Nelson Semedo and Pedro Neto, Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, Manchester City pair Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva, Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and United duo Fernandes and Dalot make up the English-based players.
Joao Cancelo, who is still contracted to City, spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Barcelona and is in the squad after helping them to the Champions League quarter-finals. The same applies to club team-mate Joao Felix despite his inconsistent form for Barca this campaign.
Roberto Martinez has not included City midfielder Matheus Nunes, however. He didn't feature during qualification but was called up for their most recent squad in March. Nunes has struggled for form this season, making just nine Premier League starts for City after his £53million move from Wolves last summer.
Other notable absentees include Wolves defender Toti Gomes, Leicester right-back Ricardo Pereira and Sporting forward Pedro Goncalves, while Roma midfielder Renato Sanches has been out in the cold for the past year. There is no place for Arsenal star Fabio Viera, who has struggled for form, either.
Former Wigan and Belgium manager Martinez took charge of Portugal at the start of Euro 2024 qualification and helped steer them to a perfect group campaign, winning 10 out of 10. They scored 36 goals and conceded twice in a group containing Slovenia, Luxembourg, iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Liechenstein.
Portugal are set to kickstart their Euro 2024 campaign when they face Czech Republic in Leipzig on Tuesday, June 18. The Selecao then take on Turkey in Dortmund on Saturday, June 22 before playing debutants Georgia in their final group game on Wednesday, June 26 in Gelsenkirchen.
Portugal squad for Euro 2024
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Patricio
Defenders: Antonio Silva, Danilo Pereira, Diogo Dalot, Goncalo Inacio, Joao Cancelo, Nelson Semedo, Nuno Mendes, Pepe, Ruben Dias
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves, Joao Palhinha, Otavio, Ruben Neves, Vitinha
Forwards: Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota, Francisco Conceicao, Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leao
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