Pedro Neto and Pedro Gonçalves, both due to injury, were exempt from the work of the national team, which begins its preparation stage on Monday for the duel with the Republic of Ireland, to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Pedro Gonçalves’s departure from the 26-man squad was already expected, as the player was injured on Saturday playing for Sporting, in the 2-1 victory at Santa Clara, in the I Liga, in a match in which he even scored the Lions’ first goal.
Pedro Neto’s absence comes as a surprise, considering that the winger was a starter – he was on the field for 77 minutes – also on Saturday for Chelsea, in the English League, and even scored the Londoners’ third goal in the 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton.
In a note published on its official website, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) explained that the decision to dismiss Pedro Neto ended up being taken between Chelsea’s medical department and the organization’s Health and Performance Directorate.
“The Portuguese international winger will not join the group under Martínez’s orders, in an articulated decision between Chelsea’s medical department and the FPF Health and Performance Directorate, due to physical problems that limit the player”, reads the publication.
Pedro Gonçalves was even considered unfit to participate in the training camp and be available to face the Republic of Ireland, in Dublin, on Thursday, and, then, on Sunday, at the Estádio do Dragão, in Porto, Armenia, in Portugal’s last two Group F matches.
A victory in Dublin immediately guarantees the national team qualification for the 2026 World Cup, but a draw could be enough if Hungary do not win in Armenia on the same day.
Striker Carlos Forbs, from Club Brugge, is the big surprise in coach Roberto Martínez’s choices, in a list now of 24 players that does not include Nuno Mendes, who is injured.
On the other hand, full-back João Cancelo and midfielder João Neves are back after missing the October training camp due to physical problems.
On Monday, Portugal has a training session scheduled for 6pm, at Cidade do Futebol, in Oeiras, with the first 15 minutes open to the media.
Portugal leads Group F with 10 points, five more than Hungary, second placed, followed by the Republic of Ireland, with four, and Armenia, with three.
The winner of the group secures a place in the final phase of the tournament that will be played next year, in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and which for the first time will have 48 teams. The second-placed team will have to compete in the play-offs.
Updated list of 24 players called up:
– Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), Rui Silva (Sporting) and José Sá (Wolverhampton, England).
– Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United, Ing), Nelson Semedo (Fenerbahçe, Tur), João Cancelo (Al Hilal, Ara), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting), Rúben Dias (Manchester City, Ing), António Silva (Benfica) and Renato Veiga (Villarreal, Esp).
– Midfielders: João Palhinha (Tottenham, Ing), Rúben Neves (Al Hilal, Ara), João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Fra), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City, Ing), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Fra), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, Ing) and Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Ing).
– Forwards: João Félix (Al Nassr, Ara), Francisco Trincão (Sporting), Francisco Conceição (Juventus, Ita), Rafael Leão (AC Milan, Ita), Carlos Forbs (Club Brugge, Bel), Gonçalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain, Fra) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr, Ara).