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Rabat – As he is still recovering from a hamstring injury, Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of Portugal’s squad for the upcoming friendlies against Mexico and the United States.
Al Nassr coach Jorge Jesus confirmed recently that the 41-year-old forward had travelled to Spain for treatment.
Ronaldo has already missed Al Nassr’s recent league wins over Neom and Al Khaleej, and the Saudi club decided he needed time to recover after the injury he suffered against Al Fayha.
Portugal’s federation has now confirmed that he will not join the squad for the U.S. trip.
Ronaldo’s absence is notable given his role in the team. He remains Portugal’s captain and is still their all-time leading scorer, with 143 goals in 226 appearances, both records at the international level.
His last appearance in the United States was in 2014, when he played for Real Madrid in a pre-season match against Manchester United.
This means he will now have to wait until the World Cup this summer to play on US soil again. Portugal is set to begin their campaign in Houston on June 17, where they will face one of New Caledonia, Jamaica, or DR Congo, before taking on Uzbekistan and Colombia in the group stage.
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There had also been some uncertainty around his availability earlier in the qualifiers, after a red card against the Republic of Ireland led to a three-match suspension. But FIFA later suspended part of that ban, making him eligible for the tournament.
From a sporting perspective, Portugal still travels with a strong squad. Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Nuno Mendes are part of the squad, offering quality across midfield and defense.
At the same time, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva are among the players missing from the list.
Ronaldo’s absence could also have an effect off the pitch. The friendly against the United States had drawn strong interest, with ticket sales boosted by the possibility of seeing him play. With him out now, it remains to be seen how demand on the resale market will react in the days leading up to the game.
Even without him, Portugal remains one of the main attractions, especially with the World Cup approaching.
