The Portuguese coach, the Catalan Roberto Martínez, announced this Tuesday the list of the 24 men with whom Portugal will attend the Euro Cup that starts next month in Germany, with the presence of Pepe and Conceiçao, but without Trincao, Gonçalves or Guerreiro.
With the list that he revealed this Tuesday, which combines talent, youth and experience, the coach assured that it will allow him “tactical flexibility.”
Cristiano, 39 years old, and Pepe, 41, will have the opportunity, perhaps the last due to their age, to play their last tournament together in Europe, after being included on the list this Tuesday.
In Europe, center back Pepe and forward Cristiano have won everything together: the Portuguese won the Euro in France in 2016 and between the two of them they have 8 Champions Leagues, three of them they won together (2014, 2015 and 2016) when they were active. at Real Madrid; In addition, they were champions with Portugal in the 2019 edition of the Nations League.
UEFA allows a list of 26 this year, instead of the usual 23. There were some doubts in the call, such as what would happen to Raphaël Guerreiro, injured at the beginning of the month. His place in the squad has finally been taken by Nélson Semedo. Up front he once again has Francisco Conceiçao, whom he already called for the training camp last March.
Trincao is not there, but Diogo Jota is, with few minutes at Liverpool, and Pedro Neto, who returned to the playing fields this week with Wolverhampton after two months out. Also the veteran Pepe, whose experience the coach highlighted: “We have a very interesting locker room because we have players from different generations. The names of Pepe and Cristiano are from a different generation than those of Bernardo, Rúben Dias, João Neves and António Silva. Pepe’s role in the locker room is important.”
It will be the Spaniard’s first major tournament at the head of Portugal, a position he joined in January 2023, becoming the first non-Portuguese-speaking coach that the Portuguese team had had. At the head of this team he achieved the fastest qualification in the history of Portugal for a European Championship, with full victories, ten out of ten. A milestone that had never been achieved in the country and that has made Martínez one of the most beloved technicians by the fans.
The German Euro Cup will be played from June 14 to July 14. Portugal will open on June 18 against the Czech Republic, will face Turkey on the 22nd and complete the group on June 26 against Georgia.
The complete list of the 26 footballers called up for the Euro Cup by Roberto Martínez with Portugal:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa and Rui Patricio;
Defenses: António Silva, Danilo, Diogo Dalot, Gonçalo Inácio, João Cancelo, Nélson Semedo, Nuno Mendes, Pepe, Rúben Dias.
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes, João Neves, João Palhinha, Otávio, Rúben Neves, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva.
Delanteros: Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota, Francisco Conceição, Gonçalo Ramos, João Félix, Pedro Neto and Rafael Leão
