Portugal ended their long wait for an international title at Euro 2016 as Fernando Santos’ side upset the odds against hosts France in the final.
The success ended Portugal’s nickname as the “almost men” of European international football after years of near misses by the Iberian superpower.
Spain’s dominance between 2008 and 2012 only increased the pressure on Santos, as well as talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, and the Manchester United man could have a tournament bye at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Santos opted for a solid core of players during Portugal’s World Cup qualifiers and are not expected to spring too many surprises in their latest squad as they prepare to face Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea in Group H.
Projected Portugal World Cup squad 2022
Santos has until Friday, October 21 to submit to FIFA an official preliminary list of 35-55 players from which he will select his final 26-man roster for Qatar by Monday, November 14.
Based on World Cup qualifying squads and friendly rosters over the past year, these are the names most likely to be on his preliminary list.
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Rui Patricio | Roma (ITA) | 34 | 104 |
| Goalkeeper | Jose Sa | Wolves (ENG) | 29 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Diogo Costa | Porto (POR) | 23 | 7 |
| Goalkeeper | Rui Silva | Real Betis (SPA) | 28 | 1 |
| Defender | Pepe | Porto (POR) | 39 | 128 |
| Defender | Raphael Guerreiro | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 28 | 56 |
| Defender | Diogo Dalot | Manchester United (ENG) | 23 | 6 |
| Defender | Tiago Djalo | Lille (FRA) | 22 | 0 |
| Defender | Ruben Dias | Manchester City (ENG) | 25 | 39 |
| Defender | Nuno Mendes | PSG (FRA) | 20 | 16 |
| Defender | Danilo Pereira | PSG (FRA) | 31 | 63 |
| Defender | Mario Rui | Napoli (ITA) | 31 | 12 |
| Defender | Joao Cancelo | Manchester City (ENG) | 28 | 37 |
| Midfielder | Joao Moutinho | Wolves (ENG) | 36 | 146 |
| Midfielder | Otavio | Porto (POR) | 27 | 7 |
| Midfielder | Renato Sanches | PSG (FRA) | 25 | 32 |
| Midfielder | Joao Palhinha | Fulham (ENG) | 27 | 15 |
| Midfielder | Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United (ENG) | 28 | 48 |
| Midfielder | Bernardo Silva | Manchester City (ENG) | 28 | 72 |
| Midfielder | Matheus Nunes | Wolves (ENG) | 24 | 9 |
| Midfielder | William Carvalho | Real Betis (ESP) | 30 | 75 |
| Midfielder | Vitinha | PSG (FRA) | 22 | 4 |
| Midfielder | Joao Mario | Benfica (POR) | 29 | 52 |
| Midfielder | Ruben Neves | Wolves (ENG) | 25 | 32 |
| Forward | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United (ENG) | 37 | 191 |
| Forward | Ricardo Horta | Braga (POR) | 28 | 5 |
| Forward | Rafael Leao | AC Milan (ITA) | 23 | 11 |
| Forward | Joao Felix | Atletico Madrid (ESP) | 22 | 23 |
| Forward | Goncalo Ramos | Benfica (POR) | 21 | 0 |
| Forward | Andre Silva | RB Leipzig (GER) | 26 | 51 |
| Forward | Goncalo Guedes | Wolves (ENG) | 25 | 32 |
| Forward | Francisco Trincao | Sporting Lisbon (POR) | 22 | 7 |
Final 26-man Portugal World Cup roster
Portugal face Nigeria in a pre-World Cup friendly in Lisbon on November 17, however, Santos will have already confirmed his final squad by then. Here’s a projected look at a plausible 26-man list, assuming the players are fit and ready.
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Rui Patricio | AS Roma (ITA) | 34 | 104 |
| Goalkeeper | Diogo Costa | Porto (POR) | 23 | 7 |
| Goalkeeper | Rui Silva | Real Betis (SPA) | 28 | 1 |
| Defender | Pepe | Porto (POR) | 39 | 128 |
| Defender | Raphael Guerreiro | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 28 | 56 |
| Defender | Diogo Dalot | Manchester United (ENG) | 23 | 6 |
| Defender | Ruben Dias | Manchester City (ENG) | 25 | 39 |
| Defender | Nuno Mendes | PSG (FRA) | 20 | 16 |
| Defender | Danilo Pereira | PSG (FRA) | 31 | 63 |
| Defender | Mario Rui | Napoli (ITA) | 31 | 12 |
| Defender | Joao Cancelo | Manchester City (ENG) | 28 | 37 |
| Midfielder | Joao Moutinho | Wolves (ENG) | 36 | 146 |
| Midfielder | Renato Sanches | PSG (FRA) | 25 | 32 |
| Midfielder | Joao Palhinha | Fulham (ENG) | 27 | 15 |
| Midfielder | Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United (ENG) | 28 | 48 |
| Midfielder | Bernardo Silva | Manchester City (ENG) | 28 | 72 |
| Midfielder | William Carvalho | Real Betis (ESP) | 30 | 75 |
| Midfielder | Vitinha | PSG (FRA) | 22 | 4 |
| Midfielder | Joao Mario | Benfica (POR) | 29 | 52 |
| Midfielder | Ruben Neves | Wolves (ENG) | 25 | 32 |
| Forward | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United (ENG) | 37 | 191 |
| Forward | Rafael Leao | AC Milan (ITA) | 23 | 11 |
| Forward | Ricardo Horta | Braga (POR) | 28 | 5 |
| Forward | Joao Felix | Atletico Madrid (ESP) | 22 | 23 |
| Forward | Andre Silva | RB Leipzig (GER) | 26 | 51 |
| Forward | Goncalo Guedes | Wolves (ENG) | 25 | 32 |
World Cup Group H fixtures and match schedule
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Thurs, Nov. 24 | Uruguay vs. South Korea | 8 a.m. | Education City Stadium |
| Thurs, Nov. 24 | Portugal vs. Ghana | 11 a.m. | Stadium 974 |
| Mon, Nov. 28 | South Korea vs. Ghana | 8 a.m. | Education City Stadium |
| Mon, Nov. 28 | Portugal vs. Uruguay | 2 p.m. | Lusail Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 2 | South Korea vs. Portugal | 10 a.m. | Education City Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 2 | Ghana vs. Uruguay | 10 a.m. | Al Janoub Stadium |
