Paulinho out of Portugal squad, Martínez explains his absence | OneFootball

Roberto Martínez announced this Friday, at the City of Football in Oeiras, the Portuguese squad for the two friendlies before the 2026 World Cup, against Mexico and the United States of America. And, despite the respectable performances of Paulinho, in the lead-up to the competition, it was Gonçalo Guedes who earned the opportunity, alongside Gonçalo Ramos.

"It's a matter of profile and space. Diogo Jota was a very important and versatile forward for us, and we need a forward who can replace that," the Spanish coach began by highlighting, emphasizing the need to replace the abilities and qualities of the former number 21.

"We have great respect for Paulinho and follow what he is doing, but he has a profile similar to that of Gonçalo Ramos and Cristiano. We need to prioritize other skills, and in this squad, that's why Gonçalo Guedes and Gonçalo Ramos are the two forwards," Roberto Martínez stressed.

After being included in the pre-selected list last week, and considering the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo - who is sidelined after an injury while playing for Al Nassr - Paulinho was expected to be present to fill the role of the third forward.

It should be noted that the National Team will take the field in a few days. They will face Mexico at 2:00 AM (Portuguese mainland time) on March 29, at the Estadio Azteca. Then, at 12:00 AM on April 1, the team will head to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face the United States of America.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.