Pote out of 2026 World Cup? Roberto Martínez cites stellar seasons | OneFootball

Roberto Martínez announced Portugal’s squad for the 2026 World Cup this Tuesday, May 19. After the list was presented, the national team coach explained why some players were not called up, mentioning the high-profile Sporting name he left out: Pote.

"It’s impossible to say we didn’t leave anyone out. There are 27 players on the list. The complexity of the tournament is very important: the temperature, the time difference. There are positions where we need to have more than two players per role. The versatility of Dalot, Cancelo and Matheus Nunes is important. We have Félix, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Trincão, who play between the lines," he began by saying.

Then, Roberto Martínez ended up mentioning Pedro Gonçalves by name while justifying his decision: "There are other players who had spectacular seasons, like Horta, Pote, Mora. Players who operate in the same areas...".

"I really like talking about the process. There are moments for gathering information, and we attended matches live. It was only yesterday that we made the decisions. The important thing is that there are no injuries and that the players can arrive in good condition. I was very pleased with the preparation in March, which allows us to give the players seven days to switch off. The PSG players, with the Champions League final, will only arrive on the 6th. We have a very good period first to switch off and then to prepare, in detail, everything we need," he stressed, regarding the way he makes decisions.

The 2026 World Cup will take place between June 11 and July 19, 2026, in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will be the first edition with 48 national teams, 12 groups and 104 matches. Portugal is in Group K with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia.

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