Portugal have announced their first squad following Cristiano Ronaldo's retirement from international football. Head coach Jorge Jesus has named 28 players for the upcoming fixtures against Denmark and Wales, with Bernardo Silva emerging as the leading candidate to take over the captain's armband.
Ronaldo's departure marks the end of an era for the Portuguese national team. After years as the country's leader and record-breaking goalscorer, the former captain leaves behind a major legacy. Portugal must now look ahead to a new chapter under Jorge Jesus.
The Seleção will face Denmark at home on November 14, before travelling to take on Wales on November 17. These will be the first fixtures following CR7's international retirement.
Bernardo Silva ready to take over from Cristiano Ronaldo?
With Ronaldo no longer part of the national team, attention has shifted to the identity of Portugal's next captain. Bernardo Silva is among the leading candidates to inherit the armband and become the new reference point for the Seleção.
The experienced midfielder is joined in the squad by several established international stars, including Bruno Fernandes, Rúben Dias, Vitinha, João Neves and Rafael Leão. Portugal also included promising young talents such as Geovany Quenda, Rodrigo Mora and Gustavo Varela.
Portugal squad: Jorge Jesus names 28 players
Goalkeepers
- Diogo Costa (Porto)
- Rui Silva (Sporting CP)
- Samuel Soares (Benfica)
Defenders
- João Cancelo (Barcelona)
- Diogo Dalot (Manchester United)
- Alberto Costa (Porto)
- Rúben Dias (Manchester City)
- Renato Veiga (Villarreal)
- Tomás Araújo (Benfica)
- António Silva (Bournemouth)
- Nuno Tavares (Lazio)
Midfielders
- Rúben Neves (Al Hilal)
- João Palhinha (Benfica)
- Mateus Fernandes (Tottenham)
- João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
- Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid)
Forwards
- Pedro Neto (Chelsea)
- Francisco Trincão (Al Ahli)
- Rafael Leão (Galatasaray)
- Geovany Quenda (Chelsea)
- Carlos Forbs (Club Brugge)
- João Félix (Al Nassr)
- Gonçalo Ramos (AC Milan)
- Fábio Silva (Borussia Dortmund)
- Gustavo Varela (Monza)
- Rodrigo Mora (Roma)
Portugal's next fixtures: Denmark and Wales
Portugal will begin this new chapter on November 14 against Denmark, playing in front of their home supporters. Three days later, Jorge Jesus' side will travel to face Wales.
Without Cristiano Ronaldo, the spotlight will be on Bernardo Silva and the players expected to lead Portugal into a new era. The challenge will be to maintain the national team's competitive standards while moving forward without its historic captain.