Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal looks on during their Nations League League clash with Spain at Estadio Municipal de Braga in Braga, Portugal, September 27, 2022. /CFP
Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has won everything there is to win in his trophy-laden career except the World Cup. In less than two weeks, the Manchester United superstar will aim for the Holy Grail for his fifth time asking after he was named in Portugal's 26-man squad for Qatar.
The 37-year-old has gone through a rough patch at the moment after finding himself falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford, but his recent struggles will not prevent him from leading his country into the showpiece event, which kicks off on November 20.
Ronaldo will be joined by club teammates Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, Manchester City's Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva. Paris Saint-Germain star Renato Sanches, Wolves duo Joao Moutinho and Goncalo Guedes were left out by Portugal coach Fernando Santos.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos calls the name of Cristiano Ronaldo while announcing the squad for the Qatar 2022 World Cup at the Portuguese football federation headquarters in Oeiras, Portugal, November 10, 2022. /CFP
"All the players called up come with the hunger to win and make Portugal world champions, Ronaldo included," Santos told a press briefing on Thursday.
The veteran tactician declined to discuss players who missed out this time around, adding, "What is most important are the players who will go to the World Cup... The 26 players think that justice has been done, and those who don't go, the opposite."
When asked why Porto's 39-year-old defender Pepe, who has not played a single game since October due to a knee injury, still made the cut, Santos said, "I asked my medical department if there were any unfit players, the answer was no."
Portugal will open their World Cup campaign against Ghana on November 24 before facing Uruguay on November 28 and South Korea on December 2.
Mario Gotze scores the winner during the World Cup final between Germany and Argentina at The Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 13, 2014. /CFP
Meanwhile, Mario Gotze, who shot to fame with his sensational winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final, has been named in Germany's Cup squad after a five-year hiatus.
The 30-year-old former Bayern Munich midfielder has not played for the four-time winners since 2017 but has discovered his top form after moving to Eintracht Frankfurt.
"Mario Gotze is there. 2017 was the last time. Mario is totally happy and so are we to have him. It gives us many options," said Germany head coach Hansi Flick.
Borussia Dortmund's 17-year-old sensation Youssoufa Moukoko is another surprising inclusion, while Werder Bremen's Niclas Fullkrug, who has netted 10 goals in 13 domestic appearances this season, has also been called up for the first time.
Dortmund captain Marco Reus in action during their clash with Union Berlin in Berlin, Germany, October 16, 2022. /CFP
Moukoko's teammate Marco Reus was ruled out of the tournament because of an ankle injury. It will be the fourth major tournament that the talismanic Dortmund captain is forced to miss out on through injury since making his debut for the national team.
"I've often said how much I appreciate him [Reus] as a footballer. We had to decide whether to take the risk or not," said Flick. "We made the decision and told him so. It hurts us because we can really use his quality."
Germany, who suffered a shock group stage exit in the 2018 Russia World Cup, will start their Qatar campaign against Japan on November 23 before taking on Spain and Costa Rica.