LISBON (AP) 鈥� Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make a record sixth World Cup appearance after being included in Portugal’s squad for the tournament on Tuesday, and coach Roberto Mart铆nez also included the late Diogo Jota as a 鈥減lus one forever鈥� in a tribute to the player who died last year.
Mart铆nez said Jota will be on everyone鈥檚 minds when the national team tries to win soccer鈥檚 showcase event for the first time. The 28-year-old Jota, a regular in Portugal鈥檚 squad, was killed in a car crash in Spain last July.
鈥淭he final list includes 27 names plus one,鈥� Mart铆nez said. 鈥淭o lose Diogo Jota was an unforgettable moment and a very difficult moment. But the next day it was a responsibility for all of us to fight for Diogo Jota’s dream and for the example that he was in our national team. The spirit, the strength, the example of Diogo Jota, the plus one. He will be the plus one forever.鈥�
Mart铆nez picked the 41-year-old Ronaldo and 26 other players to try to give Portugal its first World Cup title.
It will likely be Ronaldo’s final attempt at winning soccer’s most coveted trophy. It will be his first World Cup since he left elite soccer in Europe to play in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo and his great rival Lionel Messi of Argentina could become the first men to play in six World Cups.
鈥淲hen we talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, we talk about two players,鈥� Mart铆nez said. 鈥淲e talk about the icon of world soccer and we talk about the player, our captain, who has the same demands as the other players, the competitiveness to be in the national team. Our captain is an example. We want him to continue with the same level of responsibility and leadership inside the locker room.鈥�
Ronaldo is the all-time leader in appearances (226) and goals (143) for a men鈥檚 national team. He is also the only man to have scored in five World Cups.
Ronaldo told CNN in November that this one 鈥渄efinitely鈥� would be his last World Cup.
Also included in the list were Ronaldo’s Al Nassr teammate Jo茫o F茅lix, Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes. Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Jo茫o Neves and Gon莽alo Ramos also made the list.
The final World Cup squads can only have a maximum of 26 players, but Mart铆nez included Ricardo Velho as a fourth-choice goalkeeper who will only take part in case there is an injury to the other three. Mart铆nez said he spoke personally to nearly all the players he left out.
Portugal is in Group K along with Colombia, Uzbekistan and Congo. Portugal opens against Congo on June 17 in Houston.
Mart铆nez said Portugal can be considered a title candidate but should not be included among the favorites.
鈥淭he World Cup is not about playing well, not about having talent,” he said. “There are many challenges. I think only a national team that has already won the World Cup can be a favorite. We welcome the pressure, it’s not a problem, but I think ‘candidate’ is probably a better word to describe the good moment that we’ve been going through.鈥�
Portugal won the 2025 Nations League by beating host Germany in the semifinals and Spain in the final.
鈥淐onsidering the talent and the spirit of our group, we all can dream,” Mart铆nez said. “We can dream, yes, and be a candidate, but not a favorite.鈥�
Portugal will begin its preparations on June 1. It will have warmup matches against Chile on June 6 and Nigeria on June 10. It will travel to the United States on June 12.
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Portugal squad:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jos茅 S谩 (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Silva (Sporting Lisbon), Ricardo Velho ( Gen莽lerbirli臒i)
Defenders: R煤ben Dias (Manchester City), Jo茫o Cancelo (Barcelona), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), N茅lson Semedo (Fenerbahce), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Gon莽alo In谩cio (Sporting Lisbon), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Tom谩s Ara煤jo (Benfica)
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Vitinha (PSG), Jo茫o Neves (PSG), R煤ben Neves (Al Hilal), Sam煤 Costa (Mallorca)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Rafael Le茫o (AC Milan), Jo茫o F茅lix (Al Nassr), Gon莽alo Ramos (PSG), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Francisco Concei莽茫o (Juventus), Gon莽alo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Francisco Trinc茫o (Sporting Lisbon).
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