Portugal's World Cup team announced with Cristiano Ronaldo chasing history and Diogo Jota remembered

LISBON (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make a record sixth World Cup appearance after being included in Portugal's squad for the tournament on Tuesday, and coach Roberto Martínez also included the late Diogo Jota as a “plus one forever” in a tribute to the player who died last year.

Martínez said Jota will be on everyone’s minds when the national team tries to win soccer’s showcase event for the first time. The 28-year-old Jota, a regular in Portugal’s squad, was killed in a car crash in Spain last July.

“The final list includes 27 names plus one,” Martínez said. “To lose Diogo Jota was an unforgettable moment and a very difficult moment. But the next day it was a responsibility for all of us to fight for Diogo Jota's dream and for the example that he was in our national team. The spirit, the strength, the example of Diogo Jota, the plus one. He will be the plus one forever.”

Martínez picked the 41-year-old Ronaldo and 26 other players to try to give Portugal its first World Cup title.

It will likely be Ronaldo's final attempt at winning soccer's most coveted trophy. It will be his first World Cup since he left elite soccer in Europe to play in Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo and his great rival Lionel Messi of Argentina could become the first men to play in six World Cups.

“When we talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, we talk about two players,” Martínez said. “We talk about the icon of world soccer and we talk about the player, our captain, who has the same demands as the other players, the competitiveness to be in the national team. Our captain is an example. We want him to continue with the same level of responsibility and leadership inside the locker room.”

Ronaldo is the all-time leader in appearances (226) and goals (143) for a men’s national team. He is also the only man to have scored in five World Cups.

Ronaldo told CNN in November that this one “definitely” would be his last World Cup.

Also included in the list were Ronaldo's Al Nassr teammate João Félix, Manchester City's Bernardo Silva and Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes. Paris Saint-Germain's Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos also made the list.

The final World Cup squads can only have a maximum of 26 players, but Martínez included Ricardo Velho as a fourth-choice goalkeeper who will only take part in case there is an injury to the other three. Martínez said he spoke personally to nearly all the players he left out.

Portugal is in Group K along with Colombia, Uzbekistan and Congo. Portugal opens against Congo on June 17 in Houston.

Martínez said Portugal can be considered a title candidate but should not be included among the favorites.

“The World Cup is not about playing well, not about having talent," he said. "There are many challenges. I think only a national team that has already won the World Cup can be a favorite. We welcome the pressure, it's not a problem, but I think 'candidate' is probably a better word to describe the good moment that we've been going through.”

Portugal won the 2025 Nations League by beating host Germany in the semifinals and Spain in the final.

“Considering the talent and the spirit of our group, we all can dream," Martínez said. "We can dream, yes, and be a candidate, but not a favorite.”

Portugal will begin its preparations on June 1. It will have warmup matches against Chile on June 6 and Nigeria on June 10. It will travel to the United States on June 12.

Portugal squad:

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), José Sá (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Silva (Sporting Lisbon), Ricardo Velho ( Gençlerbirliği)

Defenders: Rúben Dias (Manchester City), João Cancelo (Barcelona), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Nélson Semedo (Fenerbahce), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting Lisbon), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Tomás Araújo (Benfica)

Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Vitinha (PSG), João Neves (PSG), Rúben Neves (Al Hilal), Samú Costa (Mallorca)

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), João Félix (Al Nassr), Gonçalo Ramos (PSG), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Francisco Conceição (Juventus), Gonçalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Francisco Trincão (Sporting Lisbon).

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Portugal's head coach Roberto Martinez announces the squad for the 2026 World Cup, in Oeiras, outside Lisbon, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portugal's head coach Roberto Martinez announces the squad for the 2026 World Cup, in Oeiras, outside Lisbon, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portugal's head coach Roberto Martinez calls the name of Cristiano Ronaldo when announcing the squad for the 2026 World Cup, in Oeiras, outside Lisbon, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

FILE - Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring at the King Saud University Stadium, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, file)

FILE - Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying soccer match between Portugal and Hungary in Lisbon, Oct. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)

ROME (AP) — Andrea Pirlo is out of contention for the Italy job amid political concerns over a sponsorship deal with a Russian betting firm.

The flap over Pirlo reportedly has Paolo Maldini considering stepping down just 16 days into his new job as the technical director charged with restoring order for the Azzurri.

This after Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti had already turned down offers to coach a national team that has failed to qualify for three straight World Cups.

The crisis surrounding Italy’s once-proud squad is expanding to new dimensions four months after the four-time World Cup champion was beaten by Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.

Pirlo himself confirmed that he was out in an Instagram post Monday, saying he “heard last night that I’m no longer the candidate for the Italy national team job.”

Several Italian politicians had raised concerns about Pirlo’s contract to be an ambassador for Fonbet, saying the national team coach should not have conflicting views on Italy’s support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

Pirlo, who had been prepared to leave his current job as coach of Dubai United, was an unpopular choice after unsuccessful stints coaching Juventus and Sampdoria — despite having been one of the standout players when Italy last won the World Cup in 2006.

Pirlo said the Fonbet deal was linked to his job in the United Arab Emirates and is “exclusively for commercial and sports” purposes.

“Attributing a political significance to that collaboration means attributing beliefs to me that I have never expressed and don't belong to me,” Pirlo added. “My love for Italy doesn’t depend on a job. It’s part of my history, my identity and it will remain forever.”

Pirlo was at best a third choice after Brazil coach Ancelotti and former Manchester City manager Guardiola turned down offers from Maldini and special adviser Leonardo.

But Pirlo was preferred by his former AC Milan teammate Maldini ahead of figures like former Italy coaches Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte because he was seen as someone more willing to adapt to new policies and promote younger players in an attack-minded system.

Gennaro Gattuso, another former Milan player, left as Italy’s coach by mutual consent in April after the defeat in Bosnia.

Now Mancini and Conte are back being discussed for the job, while Maldini is reportedly upset that Pirlo was turned down.

The final decision lies with Italian soccer federation president Giovanni Malagò, who was elected in June after leading the Milan Cortina Olympics organizing committee and, previously, the Italian Olympic Committee.

Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the following year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team. He left Saudi Arabia in 2024 and was most recently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar.

Conte coached Italy to the quarterfinals of the 2016 European Championship and was most recently at Napoli.

Another option could be former Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi, who is currently coaching in the Saudi league.

Whoever gets hired will be Italy's fourth coach in as many years.

When Luciano Spalletti was fired after Italy lost its opening qualifier to Norway last year, Claudio Ranieri turned down an offer to replace him and the much less experienced Gattuso was hired instead.

Italy next plays in September and October, when it will face Belgium, Turkey and France in the Nations League.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Paolo Maldini arrives with his wife, Adriana Fossa, at the Armani/Teatro in Milan, northern Italy, to pay his respects to designer Giorgio Armani, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Nicola Marfisi, File)

FILE - Juventus' head coach Andrea Pirlo stands on the pitch during warmup before the Champions League round of 16, first leg, soccer match between FC Porto and Juventus in Porto, Portugal, on Feb. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira, File)