Below is who i believe will be the final 23 called up to rep Portugal at the 2018 World Cup. Does anyone disagree with the list below? if so, who do you take out and put in? My list contains who i believe to be the most realistic possibilities, not all are whom i want there. GK Rui Patricio Anthony Lopes Beto DF Cedric Nelson Semedo Pepe Bruno Alves Jose Fonte Ruben Dias Raphael Guerreiro Fabio Coentrao MD William Ruben Neves Bernardo Silva Gelson Martins Joao Mario Adrien Silva Joao Moutinho Bruno Fernandes Goncalo Guedes Ricardo Quaresma FW Cristiano Ronaldo Andre Silva
Pretty confident it will be: GK Rui Patricio Anthony Lopes Beto RB Nelson Semedo Cedric LB: Raphael Gurreiro Fabio Coentrao/Mario Rui CB: Pepe Jose Fonte Ruben Dias Rolando DM: William Carvalho Ruben Neves CM: Joao Moutinho Bruno Fernandes Joao Mario Manuel Fernandes/Adrien Silva Attacking midfielders/forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo Andre Silva Bernardo Silva Ricardo Quaresma Gelson Martins Goncalo Guedes Mario Rui vs Fabio Coentrao as the backup leftback is a tough choice. Manuel Fernandes is the best player in Russia and just led his team to a championship, in far better form than Adrien Silva. Bruno Fernandes has played too good to leave off the squad for either. Andre Gomes has no business being there. Rony Lopes/Bruma should be there over Quaresma, but his ability to come off the bench and assist is too important. He's not a starter but if we're chasing the game and place Ronaldo up front theres no one better to cross him the ball. Danilo is a big loss, he would have been critical in that first match vs Spain and his ability to come off the bench and close out games defensively will be missed. Ruben Neves is more of a deeplaying playmaker, and despite being more talented lacks that pure defensive talent to close down other midfielders. We would have needed to only take 3 centrebacks if he was healthy.. Santos will probably bet on Fonte regaining some semblance of form in a month of training, Ruben Dias is probably the best bet out of all the other centrebacks playing right now since Bruno Alves cant even start for Rangers and Neto was poor even in 2014. Rolando while average atleast is playing for a team that made the Europa League final..I think he's injured now though. Edgar Ie is an interesting option to look at as well.
Quaresma is a difference maker, I would not leave him out. Never bet against Coentrao, always delivers for Portugal. But i hope FS changes it up, can't have the same team from 2016, hungry players are the most dangerous, and I believe Santos risk taking has made us better.
GK Rui Patricio Anthony Lopes Beto DEF Cedric Nelson Semedo Pepe Rolando Jose Fonte Ruben Dias Raphael Guerreiro Mario Rui MID William Ruben Neves Joao Mario Adrien Silva Joao Moutinho Bruno Fernandes FWD Cristiano Ronaldo Andre Silva Goncalo Guedes Ricardo Quaresma Bernardo Silva Gelson Martins I personally think its criminal to leave Rony Lopes out with the year he has had, and wouldn't be surprised if he sneaks in there. A little iffy about having both Ruben Neves and Bruno Fernandes there. A lot of inexperience for a vital position. Manuel Fernandes could be a solid replacement for one of the two.
Fernando Santos released the 35 man Preliminary roster today. 12 players will be cut from this list on Thursday. Guarda-redes - Anthony Lopes (Lyon), Beto (Goztepe) e Rui Patrício (Sporting) Defesas - Antunes (Getafe), Bruno Alves (Rangers), Cédric Soares (Southampton), João Cancelo (Inter), José Fonte (Dalian Yifang), Luís Neto (Fenerbahçe), Mário Rui (Nápoles), Nélson Semedo (Barcelona), Pepe (Besiktas), Raphael Guerreiro (Dortmund), Ricardo Pereira (FC Porto), Rolando (Marselha) e Rúben Dias (Benfica) Médios - Adrien Silva (Leicester), André Gomes (Barcelona), Bruno Fernandes (Sporting), João Mário (West Ham), João Moutinho (Mónaco), Manuel Fernandes (Lokomotiv), Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton), Sérgio Oliveira (FC Porto) e William Carvalho (Sporting) Avançados - André Silva (Milan), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Éder (Lokomotiv), Gelson Martins (Sporting), Gonçalo Guedes (Valência), Nani (Lazio), Paulinho (SC Braga), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas) e Rony Lopes (Mónaco) http://www.fpf.pt/pt/News/Todas-as-notícias/Notícia/news/15828 Was kind of hoping to see Ruben Vezo at least make the 35 man squad.
Scratch Fabio out of the World Cup thank goodness he is not going Coentrão anunciou na sua conta oficial de Instagram que não se sente em condições de representar a seleção portuguesa no Mundial de 2018. O lateral-esquerdo português recusa que está a virar as costas a Portugal, e garante que vai estar a torcer por fora. «Na semana passada, depois de uma grande ponderação, dei conta ao Selecionador Nacional que, após uma época muito desgastante, sinto não estar nas condições necessárias para representar a Seleção numa prova com a exigência do Campeonato do Mundo. Jamais virarei as costas ao meu País, e espero poder vir a representar a nossa Seleção mais vezes no futuro. Até lá sou e serei sempre mais um a torcer por fora, até breve. Boa sorte pessoal», escreveu o internacional português. Fábio Coentrão já representou Portugal por 52 ocasiões, tendo estado presente nos Campeonatos do Mundo da África do Sul (2010) e Brasil (2014) e no Campeonato Europeu organizado pela Polónia e pela Ucrânia (2012).
The 12 who will be removed from this list: Antunes Joao Cancelo Ricardo Pereira Luis Neto Rolando Andre Gomes Manuel Fernandes Sergio Oliveria Paulinho Rony Lopes Eder Nani
What do you guys think for Rolando? He was ok years ago at Porto then got banished and haven't really heard much of him until this year. Seems like he had a good season. Since we desperately need a CB, would he be any good for us?
My choice as well but he does have chemistry with this back four unit. If we're leaving Fonte then there's a case for leaving Cedric
Not sure, I really haven't seen much of Rolando, just hear he had a good season. Maybe Dias or Alves.
Didnt even start for Marsielle today. Just like our other options he's a steaming pile of 'meh" It'll be pepe, Ruben Dias, Fonte (with Santos praying that a month of training gets him ready) and Alves probably...maybe Neto,
Fonte > Rolando True that Fonte’s club career development is worrying and that Rolando has seemed to make himself somewhat relevant again this year but I don’t trust him. I just hope that the people who are being payed to monitor these players and then make the choice are really paying attention as they should know better than any of us, and if indeed Fonte is washed up the correct choice is made.
here it is boys CONVOCATÓRIA FINAL: Guarda-redes - Anthony Lopes (Lyon), Beto (Goztepe) e Rui Patrício (Sporting) Defesas - Bruno Alves (Rangers), Cédric Soares (Southampton), José Fonte (Dalian Yifang), Mário Rui (Nápoles), Pepe (Besiktas), Raphael Guerreiro (Dortmund), Rolando (Marselha) e Rúben Dias (Benfica), Ricardo Pereira (FC Porto) Médios - Adrien Silva (Leicester), Bruno Fernandes (Sporting), João Mário (West Ham), João Moutinho (Mónaco), Manuel Fernandes (Lokomotiv Moscovo) e William Carvalho (Sporting) Avançados - André Silva (AC Milan), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Gelson Martins (Sporting), Gonçalo Guedes (Valência) e Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas)
Rolando did not make the squad. Regarding the squad itself.. biggest surprise inclusion: Ricardo Pereira over both Cancelo and Semedo biggest surprise exlusion: Ruben Neves
So...does anyone else want Ronaldo to lose today so he needs to have a super World Cup to get his Ballon d'Or? Ultimately, I guess the most important thing is that he doesn't get injured. Is it too selfish to think like that?
Ronaldo has to win to keep the haters working overtime. He performs better when he is hated the most.
Even with the Champions League won, the Balon is not guaranteed for him. He's got too many detractors out there and Messi has had a comparable season to him and let's not forget Mohamed Salah. CR7 needs to make a statement at the World Cup. The World Cup will be the latest thing on everybody's mind going into Balon D'or voting.