The usual starter for the Portuguese national team was released this Monday from the work of the ‘quinas’ team, which is preparing the meetings with Mexico and the United States, for physical reasons, confirmed the Portuguese Football Federation.
Hours before, in his clinical report, the FC Porto had already explained that Diogo Costa has an injury to his adductors due to back pain suffered during the last week.
Costa has 42 games for the national team and became the starter for the Portuguese goal in 2022, succeeding Rui Patrício.
Before confirming the release of the 26-year-old goalkeeper, coach Roberto Martínez had already called Ricardo Velho, a goalkeeper who plays for Turkish side Gençlerbirligi, to work for the Portuguese national team, and the 27-year-old player has already participated in training this Monday.
Velho has no caps for Portugal, but he was called up in the past by selector Roberto Martínez.
FC Porto was thus left without representation at the March training camp in Portugal, as Rodrigo Mora was also released on Sunday due to injury.
Pot did gym work
In addition to Mora and Costa, Rafael Leão was also excluded from the workalso because of physical issues, with Martínez calling on striker Paulinho to take his place, who will only join the delegation in Mexico, the country where he plays for Toluca.
The footballer Pedro Gonçalves stayed, this Monday, at the gym in the first training session of the Portuguese team, which featured newcomer Mateus Fernandes and returnees Ricardo Velho, Tomás Araújo, Samu Costa, Ricardo Horta and Gonçalo Guedes.
In Cidade do Futebol, in Oeiras, the selector Roberto Martínez counted on 24 of the 26 footballers on the updated squad list.
During the 15 minutes of preparation open to the media, eight players performed exercises with and without the ball, 11 remained on the exercise bikes and goalkeepers José Sá and Ricardo Velho did specific work on one goal.
Portugal faces Mexico on March 28, in Mexico City, at the reopening of the Azteca Stadium, and then the United States, on March 31, in Atlanta.
In the World Cup 2026, which will take place from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Portugal is included in Group K, along with Uzbekistan, Colombia and an opponent yet to be defined, who will emerge from the intercontinental play-off between the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jamaica and New Caledonia.
