Jorge Jesus Rings In The Changes
The Cristiano Ronaldo era is over, and Jorge Jesus is moving quickly. The Portugal boss has named a 28-man squad with seven changes for his side’s last two Nations League group games, the first selection since the captain retired from international football.
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The End of An Era
Ronaldo, 41, announced his retirement from the national team on Thursday, after a 30-day suspension that followed a dispute with Jesus. It ends a remarkable 23-year international career. Jesus admitted he had expected to call him up again but said he respects the decision. He also said he tried to convince the captain to continue. Portugal have pledged to honour Ronaldo, though Jesus faced a barrage of questions about the rift that preceded his exit.
The Renewal Begins
Jesus is treating the retirement as a reset. He said the squad has seven new players, five of them former Under-21 internationals, and that the focus is on renewal and the future. Right-back Alberto Costa and striker Gustavo Varela get their first senior call-ups. Varela has been in impressive form in Italy and leads the Serie A scoring charts with nine goals. António Silva, Mateus Fernandes and Carlos Forbs return, while youngsters Rodrigo Mora and Geovany Quenda are also included.
There are enforced changes too. Francisco Conceição is suspended after his red card against Norway, and Nuno Mendes is out injured. João Cancelo is selected despite missing the Denmark game through suspension, and he will be available against Wales.
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What’s At Stake
The pressure is lower than it might have been. Portugal have already reached the quarter-finals alongside Spain and now aim to finish top of Group A4. They host Denmark in Braga on 14 November, then travel to Cardiff to face Wales on 17 November. The games give Jesus a chance to test his new-look group without a spot in the last eight on the line.
The Final Squad
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Rui Silva, Samuel Soares
Defenders: João Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Alberto Costa, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Tomás Araújo, António Silva, Nuno Tavares
Midfielders: Rúben Neves, João Palhinha, Mateus Fernandes, João Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva
Forwards: Pedro Neto, Francisco Trincão, Rafael Leão, Geovany Quenda, Rodrigo Mora, Carlos Forbs, João Félix, Gonçalo Ramos, Fábio Silva, Gustavo Varela
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