Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of Portugal’s squad for the upcoming pre-FIFA World Cup friendlies, as head coach Roberto Martinez named his side on Friday.Portugal are scheduled to face Mexico national football team on March 28 at the Azteca Banorte Stadium, followed by a clash against the United States men’s national soccer team on March 31 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.Ronaldo’s absence is due to a muscle injury he sustained while playing for Al-Nassr. The striker has been undergoing recovery in Madrid after initially beginning rehabilitation in Saudi Arabia. Reports suggest his return has taken slightly longer than expected, leading to his omission from the squad.Martinez, however, played down concerns over the veteran forward’s fitness ahead of the World Cup.“The World Cup is not at risk! He is not at risk. It is a minor muscle injury, and we think he can return in a week or two. Everything Cristiano has done physically during the season shows that he is in great shape,” he said.The injury, identified as a hamstring issue following Al-Nassr’s game against Al Fayha, forced Ronaldo to step away despite being in top form. He currently leads the league’s Golden Boot race with 21 goals, while Al-Nassr sit atop the table with 67 points from 26 matches.In another notable decision, Bernardo Silva was also left out, with Martinez confirming it was a “technical decision” based on medical inputs from his club.Portugal will begin their preparations in Mexico next week, assembling on Monday before starting training on Tuesday. Looking ahead to the World Cup, Portugal have been placed in Group K alongside Uzbekistan, Colombia and a yet-to-be-decided qualifier, with their campaign set to begin on June 17 in Houston.Ronaldo remains a central figure for Portugal on the global stage. The upcoming tournament will mark his sixth World Cup appearance, adding to a glittering international career that includes leading the nation to the UEFA Euro 2016 title and triumphs in the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.Portugal squad:Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Silva (Sporting CP)Defenders: Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), João Cancelo (FC Barcelona), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Antonio Silva (SL Benfica), Tomas Araujo (SL Benfica)Midfielders: Ruben Neves (Al Hilal), Samu Costa (Mallorca), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham), Joao Neves (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Rodrigo Mora (FC Porto)Forwards: Ricardo Horta (SC Braga), Pedro Goncalves (Sporting CP), João Felix (Al Nassr), Francisco Trincão (Sporting CP), Francisco Conceicão (Juventus), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Goncalo Ramos (PSG)
