Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo is left out of the Portugal squad for friendly games against Mexico and the United States. These two matches are crucial warm-up games for Portugal ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. However, the Portugal captain has been sidelined by head coach Roberto Martinez.

On 28 February 2026, Cristiano Ronaldo suffered a hamstring injury while representing Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League against Al-Fayha. Al Nassr secured a 3-1 victory over Al-Fayha with goals from Sadio Mane, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, and an own goal from Orlando Mosquera.

Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted in the 81st minute and replaced by goal scorer Abdullah Al-Hamdan. Since then, the former Real Madrid star has flown to Madrid to get treatment in hopes of returning as soon as possible for Al Nassr and the Portugal national team.

Portugal will face Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on March 28 and will take on the United States on March 31. It is now confirmed by head coach Roberto Martinez that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will not take part in either of the matches.

Roberto Martinez said on Friday: “No, he's not in danger. It's a minor muscle injury, and we think he can be back in a week or two. Everything Cristiano has done physically this season shows that he's in great shape."

Cristiano Ronaldo’s place in the squad is not under threat, as revealed by manager Roberto Martinez. When he eventually returns from injury, the 41-year-old will lead the Portugal squad as their captain in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Who made it into the 27-man Portugal squad in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence?

This season, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 27 goals in all competitions for club and country. In 25 matches, he has scored 22 goals and provided 4 assists for Al Nassr. Besides that, Ronaldo has scored 5 goals for Portugal in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

In the last World Cup, Portugal reached the quarter-finals but were eliminated by Morocco in a 1-0 defeat. Ronaldo scored 1 goal in the entire tournament but became the first male player to score in five different World Cups.

He will be a big miss for the Portugal national team when they lock horns with Mexico and the United States. In recent matches and also in the past, Cristiano Ronaldo has been the main man for Portugal. With him sidelined due to injury, many players will look to impress manager Roberto Martinez in the upcoming matches.

Portugal squad for international friendlies against Mexico and the United States of America:

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva.

Defenders: Matheus Nunes, Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Inacio, Renato Veiga, Antonio Silva, Tomas Araujo.

Midfielders: Ruben Neves, Samu Costa, Matues Fernandes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Rodrigo Mora.

Attackers: Ricardo Horta, Pedro Gonçalves, Joao Felix, Francisco Trincao, Francisco Conceicao, Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto, Goncalo Guedes, Goncalo Ramos.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It will feature 48 teams and conduct 104 matches. Despite the injury setback, Ronaldo will want to return in time and lead Portugal in the World Cup.

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