Cristiano Ronaldo set for sixth World Cup after being named in Portugal squad

Cristiano Ronaldo will play at his sixth World Cup this summer after being named in Roberto Martínez’s Portugal squad.

The 41-year-old made his World Cup debut at the 2006 tournament in Germany and has played at subsequent editions in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who is likely to be called up by Argentina, will become the first male footballers to play at six World Cups.

Martinez read out the names of 27 players called up for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States at Portugal’s City of Football complex in Lisbon.

One of the four goalkeepers is due to be cut ahead of the final deadline.

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes and Old Trafford team-mate Diogo Dalot feature in a squad that also includes Paris St Germain trio Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha.

Manchester City trio Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes and Ruben Dias were also selected.

But the 37-times capped Joao Palhinha, on loan at Tottenham from Bayern Munich, and West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes both missed out.

Portugal, quarter-finalists in Qatar four years ago, are in the same World Cup group as Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

They open their campaign against DR Congo in Houston on June 17 and play Uzbekistan at the same venue six days later.

Portugal conclude their group games against Colombia in Miami on June 27.

Squad: D Costa (FC Porto), J Sa (Wolves), R Silva (Sporting), R Velho (Genclerbirligi), D Dalot (Man Utd), M Nunes (Man City), N Semedo (Fenerbahce), J Cancelo (Barcelona), N Mendes (Paris St Germain), G Inacio (Sporting), R Veiga (Villarreal), R Dias (Man City), T Araujo (Benfica), R Neves (Al Hilal), S Costa (Mallorca), J Neves, Vitinha (both Paris St Germain), B Fernandes (Man Utd), B Silva (Man City), J Felix (Al Nassr), F Trincao (Sporting), F Conceicao (Juventus), P Neto (Chelsea), R Leao (AC Milan), G Guedes (Real Sociedad), G Ramos (Paris St Germain), C Ronaldo (Al Nassr).