LISBON (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make a record sixth World Cup appearance after being included in Portugal's squad for the tournament on Tuesday, and coach Roberto Martínez also included the late Diogo Jota as a “plus one forever” in a tribute to the player who died last year.
Martínez said Jota will be on everyone’s minds when the national team tries to win soccer’s showcase event for the first time. The 28-year-old Jota, a regular in Portugal’s squad, was killed in a car crash in Spain last July.
“The final list includes 27 names plus one,” Martínez said. “To lose Diogo Jota was an unforgettable moment and a very difficult moment. But the next day it was a responsibility for all of us to fight for Diogo Jota's dream and for the example that he was in our national team. The spirit, the strength, the example of Diogo Jota, the plus one. He will be the plus one forever.”
Martínez picked the 41-year-old Ronaldo and 26 other players to try to give Portugal its first World Cup title.
It will likely be Ronaldo's final attempt at winning soccer's most coveted trophy. It will be his first World Cup since he left elite soccer in Europe to play in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo and his great rival Lionel Messi of Argentina could become the first men to play in six World Cups.
“When we talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, we talk about two players,” Martínez said. “We talk about the icon of world soccer and we talk about the player, our captain, who has the same demands as the other players, the competitiveness to be in the national team. Our captain is an example. We want him to continue with the same level of responsibility and leadership inside the locker room.”
Ronaldo is the all-time leader in appearances (226) and goals (143) for a men’s national team. He is also the only man to have scored in five World Cups.
Ronaldo told CNN in November that this one “definitely” would be his last World Cup.
Also included in the list were Ronaldo's Al Nassr teammate João Félix, Manchester City's Bernardo Silva and Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes. Paris Saint-Germain's Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos also made the list.
The final World Cup squads can only have a maximum of 26 players, but Martínez included Ricardo Velho as a fourth-choice goalkeeper who will only take part in case there is an injury to the other three. Martínez said he spoke personally to nearly all the players he left out.
Portugal is in Group K along with Colombia, Uzbekistan and Congo. Portugal opens against Congo on June 17 in Houston.
Martínez said Portugal can be considered a title candidate but should not be included among the favorites.
“The World Cup is not about playing well, not about having talent," he said. "There are many challenges. I think only a national team that has already won the World Cup can be a favorite. We welcome the pressure, it's not a problem, but I think 'candidate' is probably a better word to describe the good moment that we've been going through.”
Portugal won the 2025 Nations League by beating host Germany in the semifinals and Spain in the final.
“Considering the talent and the spirit of our group, we all can dream," Martínez said. "We can dream, yes, and be a candidate, but not a favorite.”
Portugal will begin its preparations on June 1. It will have warmup matches against Chile on June 6 and Nigeria on June 10. It will travel to the United States on June 12.
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Portugal squad:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), José Sá (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Silva (Sporting Lisbon), Ricardo Velho ( Gençlerbirliği)
Defenders: Rúben Dias (Manchester City), João Cancelo (Barcelona), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Nélson Semedo (Fenerbahce), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Tomás Araújo (Benfica)
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Vitinha (PSG), João Neves (PSG), Rúben Neves (Al Hilal), Samú Costa (Mallorca)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), João Félix (Al Nassr), Gonçalo Ramos (PSG), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Francisco Conceição (Juventus), Gonçalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Francisco Trincão (Sporting Lisbon).
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
The Associated Press
