Top five players left out of Portugal's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad ft. Mateus Fernandes

The Selecao are placed in Group K!

Portugal head into the FIFA World Cup 2026 as one of the favourites to lift the trophy this year. With a lot of emotions attached to the team and the nation, the focus revolves around doing it for Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the last edition of the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the storyline of one of the greats, Lionel Messi, had the perfect climax, and Cristiano Ronaldo will be hoping for the same this year after getting knocked out in the group stage in the previous edition.

The Portugal squad looks pretty solid this year, as Roberto Martínez announced the squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. There are several key names in the squad who could heavily influence games, but there are also certain notable names missing from the list.

In this article, we take a look at the top five notable names missing from Portugal’s FIFA World Cup 2026 squad.

List of the top five players missing from the Portugal World Cup 2026 squad

Rank	Player	Club
5	Ricardo Horta	Braga
4	Pedro Gonçalves	Sporting CP
3	Antonio Silva	Benfica
2	Joao Palhinha	Tottenham Hotspur
1	Mateus Fernandes	West Ham United

5. Ricardo Horta

Ricardo Horta is one of the key names missing from Portugal’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 31-year-old forward plays for S.C. Braga and also captains the side.

This season in Liga Portugal, Horta made 28 appearances, scoring 14 goals and providing 6 assists. He also impressed in the Europa League, registering 9 goal contributions with 4 goals and 5 assists to his name.

Despite putting up impressive numbers, the winger was left out of the squad, perhaps due to the intense competition in his position. However, he certainly had a strong case to make the final squad.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026: Full squad lists for all 48 teams

4. Pedro Goncalves

Pedro Goncalves is another winger who was left out of Portugal’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 27-year-old currently plays for Sporting CP, where he scored 13 goals and provided 8 assists in 27 Liga Portugal appearances this season.

He also contributed in the UEFA Champions League, scoring once and providing one assist during the campaign. However, the winger was sidelined with injuries for a period recently, and with heavy competition in his position, that may have played a role in him missing out on the squad.

3. Antonio Silva

Antonio Silva, the 22-year-old defender, currently playing for S.L. Benfica, has put in strong performances not only this season but consistently over the past few years. Whether in Liga Portugal or the UEFA Champions League, he has shown impressive consistency at the highest level.

He was even part of Portugal’s squad for the recent friendlies against Mexico and USA in March and April this year, where he also got game time. That is why his omission from the FIFA World Cup 2026 squad comes as a real surprise, and he is certainly one of the notable names missing from the team.

Also Read: Who are FIFA World Cup 2026 mascots? Meet the official trio

2. Joao Palhinha

Joao Palhinha, the 30-year-old defensive midfielder currently playing for Tottenham Hotspur after joining from FC Bayern Munich, was also not included in Portugal’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The season may not have gone as well as expected for the experienced midfielder, but the quality and experience he brings, especially in that defensive midfield role, could still have been valuable for the squad.

Even if not as a regular starter, he could have been trusted as an important depth option heading into a major tournament like the World Cup.

1. Mateus Fernandes

Mateus Fernandes is perhaps one of the most in-form names currently missing from Portugal’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 21-year-old midfielder, who plays for West Ham United in the Premier League, has impressed with his performances this season.

Fernandes has made 35 Premier League appearances this campaign and has contributed three goals and three assists. However, due to the heavy competition and depth already available in his position in Portugal, the youngster may have narrowly missed out on a place in the squad.

Still, he is certainly a player to keep an eye on for the future, especially with multiple clubs reportedly interested in signing him.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.