Portugal‘s captain and leading scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, has been notably excluded from the squad set to face Sweden, a decision made by coach Roberto Martinez.
Competing in Group F alongside teams like the Czech Republic, Turkey, and either Georgia, Luxembourg, Greece, or Kazakhstan, Portugal’s absence of Ronaldo is conspicuous. The star player joins a list of other notable omissions, including Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otavio, Ruben Neves, Vitinha, and Joao Felix.
Why Isn’t Ronaldo Playing?
Martinez explained that Ronaldo’s omission from the squad is to provide him with some well-deserved rest following a demanding season in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr. However, Martinez hinted at Ronaldo’s potential return for Portugal’s subsequent friendly against Slovenia on March 27.
Ronaldo has been a pivotal figure for Al Nassr, amassing an impressive tally of 30 goals and 11 assists in 30 appearances this season. His last outing saw him clinch victory for Al Nassr against Al-Ahli Saudi, scoring the decisive goal from the penalty spot. Currently, Al Nassr sits in second place in the Saudi Pro League, trailing league leaders Al-Hilal by 12 points.
Euro 2024 Aspirations
Looking ahead, Ronaldo‘s presence will be vital for Portugal’s ambitions to reclaim the European Championship, having previously secured victory in 2016. Portugal kicks off its campaign against the Czech Republic on June 19 at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.
With an impressive record of 128 goals and 46 assists in 205 matches for his country, Ronaldo aims to further bolster his remarkable tally on the international stage.
