“Cristiano Ronaldo’s(39) Surprising Omission from Portugal’s Squad: Unveiling the Reason Behind the Decision”
“Exploring the Absence of Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal’s Lineup”
Cristiano Ronaldo, 39-year-old forward has netted 22 goals for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League but won’t participate in the upcoming international match.
Portugal heads into the March international break boasting a flawless record in the qualifying rounds for the upcoming European Championships, having triumphed in all ten fixtures, with 36 goals scored and only two conceded. Cristiano Ronaldo, the seasoned striker, emerged as the top scorer with ten goals in these matches. However, he surprisingly finds himself excluded from the squad set to face Sweden this week.
Despite not being dropped, he will sit out the friendly encounter and reunite with the team later. Although named in the 32-man squad, he’s among the 8 senior players, including Diogo Dalot, João Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otavio, Rúben Neves, Vitinha, and João Félix, who won’t feature against Sweden on Thursday, March 21.
These players are taking a brief respite from the relentless professional soccer schedule but are anticipated to return for the Slovenia match on Tuesday, March 26. Ronaldo, who recently scored for Al-Nassr against Al-Ahli, marking his 33rd club appearance of the 2023/24 season, eagerly awaits the opportunity to bolster his international goal tally.
With 128 goals in 205 games for Portugal spanning over two decades, he stands poised to widen his lead as the highest-scoring player in men’s international soccer history. He currently enjoys a 19-goal advantage over Iranian striker Ali Daei, who retired in 2006. However, his long-time rival Lionel Messi remains active, boasting 106 goals for Argentina. Messi’s youthfulness compared to Ronaldo suggests he could surpass him if he prolongs his international career.
