Cristiano Ronaldo is set for a record sixth World Cup after Portugal named him in their squad, but Roberto Martinez made sure the announcement was not sold as a nostalgia exercise. The Portugal coach leaned hard into leadership, describing Ronaldo as his captain rather than just a global icon, and placed Diogo Jota at the emotional centre of the reveal as the squad's "plus one".

Why Martinez made this about captaincy, not sentiment

Ronaldo's place was the obvious headline, because no player has previously gone into a sixth World Cup finals with Portugal's captain still central to the story. Martinez did not dodge that. He just chose to explain it in team terms.

Speaking to goal.com, Martinez said: "When we talk about him, there are two players. The icon of world football, about whom all the fans in the world have an opinion and accept what he brings to football, and then there's our captain."

That distinction matters. It is also probably the clearest way to read this squad announcement. Martinez is not pretending Ronaldo is being judged in a vacuum. He is arguing that what Ronaldo gives Portugal is not limited to goals or reputation, even if the numbers still carry weight.

Those numbers are still huge. Ronaldo has 226 international appearances and 143 international goals. Based on the brief, that is enough to show why Martinez could frame him as more than a ceremonial inclusion.

Martinez pushed the leadership point further with another line to goal.com: "For me, he's an exemplary captain. He was very important in winning the Nations League and now we want the same level of responsibility and example within the locker room."

That does not end the debate around a 41-year-old leading a World Cup squad, and it should not. But the coach's message was consistent. This was presented as a football decision wrapped in dressing-room value, not a tribute call for an ageing star.

How Diogo Jota shaped the squad announcement

The more striking part of the announcement was the language around Diogo Jota. The BBC source described the squad as 27 players plus one, with that extra reference serving as a tribute to Jota after his death in a car crash last July.

Martinez said: "Diogo Jota's spirit, strength and example are the plus one and will always be the plus one."

That gave the squad reveal a very different tone from a standard tournament list. It also explains why the wording around the squad size needs care. Some reporting has described a 26-man squad and other coverage referred to a final 27-man list. The BBC framing, and the one tied most clearly to Martinez's tribute, was 27 players plus one.

Martinez went further in comments carried by bbc.co.uk: "He is our strength, our joy. Losing Diogo was an unforgettable and very difficult moment, but the very next day it was up to all of us to fight for Diogo's dream and for the example he always set in our national team."

That is emotional language, but it is also practical tournament management. Martinez himself told goal.com: "The World Cup isn't just about playing well, it's not just about talent. There are many challenges. And there's the psychological aspect."

For a national side carrying a long-serving captain and a recent loss inside the group, that psychological framing is not decoration. It looks central to how Martinez wants Portugal to enter the tournament.

What the squad says about Portugal's chances

Martinez has not called Portugal favourites. In fact, he pushed back on that label and said contender was the better word. That feels like the right note.

There is plenty of quality in the group. The brief points to Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes chasing the outright Premier League assists record in the final game of the season, while the Paris Saint Germain quartet of Vitinha, Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes and Goncalo Ramos are set for the Champions League final against Arsenal on 30 May. Joao Neves carries a 7.18 Champions League rating in 2025, and Goncalo Ramos has made 30 Ligue 1 appearances with 6 goals.

There are also omissions that keep this from feeling like an easy, consensus squad. Mateus Fernandes and Joao Palhinha were left out despite strong club performances, and Palhinha's 31 Premier League appearances in 2025 make that one a genuine selection call rather than a simple lack of minutes.

The Ronaldo angle still dominates because of the scale of it. A sixth World Cup puts him in territory that sits outside the usual modern benchmark names. The allowed-entity list around this brief includes Lionel Messi, Luka Modrić, Edin Džeko, Y. Nagatomo, Vozinha and C. Gordon, which underlines the historic company around long international careers. But Martinez is plainly trying to stop the conversation from becoming only about age and milestone counting.

Portugal open their World Cup campaign against DR Congo in Houston on 17 June, with friendlies against Chile on 6 June and Nigeria on 10 June first. Ronaldo's record sixth finals appearance is the headline. Martinez's bigger task is making sure the squad arrives as more than a tribute act built around one name.

FAQ

Will Cristiano Ronaldo play at the 2026 World Cup for Portugal?

Portugal have named Cristiano Ronaldo in their World Cup squad, which sets him up for a record sixth finals appearance. Roberto Martinez backed the call by stressing Ronaldo's role as captain and dressing-room leader, not just his status as a global icon.

Why did Roberto Martinez include Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal's World Cup squad?

Martinez framed the decision around leadership and responsibility. He said Ronaldo is an exemplary captain and drew a distinction between Ronaldo the global football icon and Ronaldo the Portugal captain, which shows the selection was presented as more than a nostalgia call.

What did Roberto Martinez mean by Portugal having 27 players plus one?

Martinez's squad announcement was framed as 27 players plus one, with the extra place used as a tribute to Diogo Jota after his death in a car crash last July. Other reports have described the squad differently, but the BBC version presented Jota as the emotional plus one.

Who did Portugal leave out of their World Cup squad?

The omissions drew some attention, especially Mateus Fernandes and Joao Palhinha. Palhinha's exclusion stands out because he made 31 Premier League appearances in 2025, so this looks like a clear selection choice rather than a simple issue of club inactivity.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →