Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal’s 27 for World Cup as Afonso Moreira misses out | OneFootball

L'Équipe reports that Roberto Martinez has named a 27-man Portugal squad for next month's World Cup, led by 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, with four PSG players included and Afonso Moreira left out.

Ronaldo will contest a sixth World Cup, captaining the side. He is Portugal's record appearance maker with 226 caps and top scorer with 143 goals. The squad was unveiled on the outskirts of Lisbon at midday on Tuesday.

The coach called up four goalkeepers to cover any eventuality in the days before the tournament. Ricardo Velho will train with the group but will not be on the bench during matches.

Up front, Gonçalo Guedes is the third centre-forward behind Ronaldo and Gonçalo Ramos. Martinez regards Guedes, now at Real Sociedad and formerly of PSG, as a more mobile option. He is set to reprise the role previously held by Liverpool striker Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash nearly a year ago, a memory Martinez evoked at his press conference.

Lyon winger Afonso Moreira, one of this season's revelations, misses out and will not win a first cap this summer. There are no late surprises in the list. He has instead been called for the closing fixtures of under-21 Euro qualifying, alongside Geovany Quenda and Rodrigo Mora.

PSG are the most represented club, with Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes joining Gonçalo Ramos. Portugal open their campaign on 17 June in Houston against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Source: L'Équipe