Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has announced his provisional World Cup squad, including 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who is poised to make history as the first male footballer to appear in six World Cups. The announcement was made ahead of the 2026 tournament, with Martinez emphasizing Ronaldo’s continued importance to the team. The squad currently includes 27 players, meaning at least one will be dropped to meet FIFA’s 23–26 player limit.

Ronaldo will be joined by key players such as Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, João Neves, and Nuno Mendes, while forward Gonçalo Guedes has earned a surprise call-up. Defensive midfielder Samuel Costa, with only four international appearances, is also included. Notable omissions are Mateus Fernandes, António Silva, Paulinho, Pedro Gonçalves, and Ricardo Horta. Portugal has been drawn in Group K alongside Colombia, Uzbekistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

If Argentina’s Lionel Messi is also selected for his national team, he could share Ronaldo’s record of six World Cup appearances, pending Argentina’s final squad announcement.