Why was Cristiano Ronaldo left out of Portugal’s squad to face Sweden?

Portugal come into the March international break off the back of a perfect record in the qualifying campaign for this summer’s European Championships.

Roberto Martinez’s side won all ten of their qualifying fixtures, scoring 36 goals and conceding just two. Veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo top-scored with ten goals across those games, but was surprisingly omitted from Portugal’s squad for this week’s match against Sweden.

But the 39-year-old has not been dropped, simply rested for a friendly game and set to join up with the team later this week. Ronaldo was named in the 32-man squad but not in the 24 that will take on Sweden.

Ronaldo is one of eight senior players who will miss out against Sweden on Thursday 21 March, alongside Diogo Dalot, João Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otavio, Rúben Neves, Vitinha and João Félix.

How many international goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?

Those eight have been given a brief rest from the relentless cycle of professional soccer but are expected to be recalled for the game against Slovenia on Tuesday 26 March. Ronaldo played and scored in Al-Nassr win over Al-Ahli last Friday, his 33rd club appearance in 2023/24.

The former Real Madrid man will be eager to add to his international tally against Slovenia next week. Ronaldo has the chance to extend his lead as the highest-scoring player in the history of men’s international soccer. He has scored 128 times in 205 games for Portugal, an international career that already spans more than two decades.

Ronaldo is currently 19 goals ahead of Iranian striker Ali Daei, who retired in 2006. However Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s eternal rival, is very much still active and has recorded 106 goals for Argentina. Messi is two and a half years younger than the Portuguese forward, meaning that he could still overtake him if he continues his international career.