Ronaldo receives bad news from the Portugal national team ahead of the World Cup

Bad news for Cristiano Ronaldo as two mainstays of the Portugal squad are absent because of injuries ahead of important fixtures in the 2026 World Cup qualifying rounds.

Cristiano Ronaldo is very close to a historic milestone as he and the Portugal team aim for a spot in the 2026 World Cup during the international matches in November. However, the European Seleção has just received bad news with two key players injured and forced to withdraw before the decisive World Cup qualifying games.

Last week, coach Roberto Martinez announced a 26-player squad for the final two group matches which could secure Portugal’s qualification to the world’s biggest football event. However, this squad list suffered a heavy blow, shrinking to 24 players after two had to pull out.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed on November 9 that Pedro Neto and Pedro Gonçalves will not participate in this training camp. This is a significant loss, as Neto (Chelsea’s winger) has become a regular choice under coach Martinez, while Sporting CP midfielder Gonçalves has also been a trusted rotational player in recent call-ups.

According to FPF’s announcement, Chelsea’s medical team and the federation’s Health and Performance department agreed that Pedro Neto needs rest to recover from ongoing physical issues. Meanwhile, Gonçalves sustained an injury during Sporting’s match against Santa Clara on November 8 and is unfit for international duty.

The Portugal national team will gather on Monday at Cidade do Futebol (the federation’s training center in Oeiras, on the outskirts of Lisbon) to begin preparations for the November fixtures. It remains unclear if coach Martinez will add more players, but Ronaldo will certainly miss two important attacking options on the path to securing a World Cup spot.

As the UEFA qualifiers near their conclusion, Portugal currently leads Group F undefeated, with 3 wins and 1 draw, accumulating 10 points—5 points ahead of second-placed Hungary. This puts the Seleção firmly in control of their destiny to qualify early.

According to the schedule, Portugal will visit the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on November 14 — a team with 4 points striving to chase the playoff spot. Then, in the final round (November 16), Martinez’s squad will host Armenia, who sits at the bottom of the group with only 3 points. In the first leg back in September, Ronaldo scored twice in a 5–0 victory over this opponent.

Portugal needs just 2 more points to officially qualify for the 2026 World Cup. A win against Ireland will secure their goal early, while if they slip up, Hungary must win all remaining matches to keep their hopes alive. This means Ronaldo and his teammates hold a significant advantage heading into this crucial phase.

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