We all know that Portugal has many world-class players but unfortunately, they have not won any World Cup. Not because the whole Portugal team is weak, but because the football competition is very tough, especially in the World Cup, every player plays aggressively and honestly because he represents his Motherland.
There is no doubt that Ronaldo performs brilliantly for his country but he cannot win any World Cup for his country. Ronaldo has won the European Championship, UEFA Nations League, and several Player of the Year trophies for his country but the worrying news is that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could be his last. So Ronaldo has a chance to make history, Ronaldo does well at this age but it is not easy with this pusher.
Portugal fans always respect Ronaldo as a world legend or his views as a captain. They always say that Ronaldo is our national hero.
Portugal 2022 World Cup squad
According to the current performance of the players, these players are most likely to play for Portugal in the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
Attackers
Portugal‘s hopes rest once again on the shoulders of Cristiano Ronaldo. The player with the most international goals in men’s football will look to further add to his tally in Qatar and guide his nation to the ultimate prize in international football.
He will be ably supported by players such as Joao Felix and Liverpool ace Diogo Jota, while Milan’s Rafael Leao has also made a name for himself and will be raring to fire on all cylinders in his debut World Cup.
There are a host of other options as well such as Andre Silva, Goncalo Ramos, Goncalo Guedes, who can make an impact coming on as a substitute.
Wolves’ Pedro Neto is also hitting the right chords in the Premier League and should be part of the World Cup squad.
However, the retirement of Rafa Silva from international football in September was a surprise for Portugal.
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United |
| Diogo Jota | Liverpool |
| Joao Felix | Atletico Madrid |
| Rafael Leao | AC Milan |
| Ricardo Horta | Braga |
| Pedro Neto | Wolves |
| Goncalo Ramos | Benfica |
| Andre Silva | RB Leipzig |
| Goncalo Guedes | Wolves |
| Gelson Martins | Monaco |
| Goncalo Paciencia | Celta de Vigo |
| Francisco Trincao | Sporting CP |
Midfielders
Portugal have plenty of quality at the centre of the park, too.
The preferred three should be Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Neves and Vitinha. But if Santos wants to mix things up in the middle, he has plenty of assuring options.
Matheus Nunes is a young & exciting talent, while the usual suspects in William Carvalho, Joao Moutinho and Andre Gomes add further depth and experience to the roster.
Otavio is is blooming late but surely at Porto and has the potential to shine at the highest level.
Renato Sanches once tipped to be a generational talent, has failed to live up to expectations. He is struggling for minutes at PSG after joining them in the summer and his participation remains an uncertain.
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Vitinha | PSG |
| William Carvalho | Real Betis |
| Bernardo Silva | Manchester City |
| Joao Mario | Benfica |
| Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United |
| Ruben Neves | Wolves |
| Joao Palhinha | Wolves |
| Matheus Nunes | Wolves |
| Joao Moutinho | Wolves |
| Renato Sanches | PSG |
| Danilo Pereira | PSG |
| Otavio | Porto |
| Andre Gomes | Lille |
| Sergio Oliveira | Galatasaray |
| Daniel Podence | Wolves |
| Pedro Goncalves | Sporting CP |
Defenders
Portugal have a solid backline led by Manchester City skipper Ruben Dias. He is likely to be partnered by an experienced candidate in Pepe.
Jose Fonte is another reliable option for the centre back position along with young sensation David Carmo, versatile defender Tiago Djalo and Ferro.
Joao Cancelo is the preferred choice at right back but he will have sizeable competition from Diogo Dalot, Cedric Soares and Nelson Semedo.
On the left flank, Nuno Mendes should start. However, Santos is spoilt for choice in this position as there are several other candidates in Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro, Braga’s Nuno Sequeira, and Napoli’s Mario Rui.
A reservoir of talent!
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Pepe | Porto |
| Ruben Dias | Manchester City |
| Joao Cancelo | Manchester City |
| Nuno Mendes | PSG |
| Mario Rui | Napoli |
| Diogo Dalot | Manchester United |
| Tiago Djalo | Lille |
| Kevin Rodrigues | Adana Demirspor |
| Francisco Ferreira | Vitesse |
| David Carmo | Porto |
| Jose Fonte | Lillle |
| Ricardo Pereira | Leicester City |
| Raphael Guerreiro | Dortmund |
| Domingos Duarte | Getafe |
| Nuno Sequeira | SC Braga |
| Nelson Semedo | Wolves |
| Cedric Soares | Arsenal |
Goalkeepers
Goalkeeping should be a concern for Santos in Qatar. Although there are plenty of options to choose from, none can be counted as amongst the best in the world.
Veteran keeper Rui Patricio has traditionally been the number one choice but he is prone to errors.
Porto’s Diogo Costa is a young keeper and is known to be sure-footed between the sticks, but lacks the experience of playing on the biggest stages.
Wolves’ Jose Sa is likely to be the third choice for Santos but is yet to make his senior national team debut.
The other alternatives in Tiago Rui Silva, Antony Lopes, and Claudio Ramos are handy options but feature in the lower rungs of the pecking order.
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Rui Patricio | Roma |
| Jose Sa | Wolves |
| Claudio Ramos | Porto |
| Tiago Rui Silva | Real Betis |
| Antony Lopes | Lyon |
| Diogo Costa | Porto |
Managers
Fernando Manuel Fernandes da Costa Santos GOM.
How many players is Portugal allowed to take to the 2022 World Cup?
National managers were allowed to bring 26 players to last summer’s European Championship for the first time at a major tournament, as a special measure brought in due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now it has been announced that 26-player squads will return for the Qatar World Cup, an expansion from the usual 23-man teams.
Read Also: How to watch FIFA World cup 2022 in Portugal
When will final Portugal 2022 World Cup squad be announced?
The 2022 World Cup takes place from 21 November – 18 December 2022.
While the next World Cup’s staging is a break from the traditional football calendar, World Cup squads are usually announced around six weeks prior to the tournament beginning.
This may change with club football being played closer to the start date of the tournament.
Who will make the final Portugal 2022 World Cup squad?
Barring injuries or bans, there are a few players that we expect to be dead certs for Fernando Santos’s final Portugal 2022 World Cup squad.
Cristiano Ronaldo, of course, will be on the plane to Qatar. This will almost certainly be his last chance to win the World Cup, and although he will be almost 38 by the time the action kicks off, few would back against him finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.
Bruno Fernandes, his team-mate at Old Trafford, is another player whose place in the squad is virtually guaranteed. The same can be said for Manchester City(opens in new tab) trio Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, and Bernardo Silva.
Pepe, Jose Fonte, Rui Patricio, Joao Moutinho are all nearing the end of their careers but continue to be regulars for the national team.
