Ronaldo, chasing historic 6th World Cup appearance, leads Portugal squad

LISBON (AP) — 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 Martínez said the late Diogo Jota will be on everyone’s minds when the team tries to win soccer’s showcase event for the first time.

The 28-year-old Jota, a regular in Portugal’s squad, was killed in a car crash in Spain last year.

Martínez 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.

Ronaldo is the all-time leader in appearances (226) and goals (143) for a men’s national team. He is also the only man to have scored in five World Cups.

Ronaldo told CNN in November that this one “definitely” would be his last World Cup.

Also included in the list were Ronaldo’s Al Nassr teammate João Félix, Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes. Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos also made the list.

Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring at the King Saud University Stadium, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, file)

Martínez selected four goalkeepers to his squad.

Portugal is in Group K along with Colombia, Uzbekistan and Congo. Portugal opens against Congo on June 17 in Houston.

Portugal's World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), José Sá (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Silva (Sporting Lisbon), Ricardo Velho ( Gençlerbirliği)

Defenders: Rúben Dias (Manchester City), João Cancelo (Barcelona), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Nélson Semedo (Fenerbahce), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Tomás Araújo (Benfica)

Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Vitinha (PSG), João Neves (PSG), Rúben Neves (Al Hilal), Samú Costa (Mallorca)

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), João Félix (Al Nassr), Gonçalo Ramos (PSG), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Francisco Conceição (Juventus), Gonçalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Francisco Trincão (Sporting Lisbon).

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup