CONFIRMED: Ronaldo called up to Portugal national team

Recent injury casts significant doubt on Cristiano Ronaldo's availability for the March training camp. However, the Portuguese Football Federation is reported to have sent a call-up request to Al Nassr, opening the possibility of CR7 appearing in upcoming friendly matches.

Portugal is scheduled to travel to North America to play two friendly matches against Mexico on March 28th and the United States national team on March 31st. Fans are eagerly awaiting Ronaldo's return to this region ahead of the World Cup. According to TUDN Mexico, the FPF has officially sent a call-up request to club Al Nassr, indicating the federation still wishes to include this star in the squad for the tour.

The request sent to Al Nassr concerns not only Ronaldo but also forward João Félix, who featured in Portugal's UEFA Nations League championship campaign. The deciding factor will be the upcoming medical report from Al Nassr on Ronaldo's condition, expected to clarify his availability before the national team squad is announced on Friday, March 20th.

According to sources in Mexico, coach Roberto Martinez strongly desires Ronaldo's presence at the training camp. However, given the nature of his current injury, this veteran forward is likely not to play in the friendly matches against Mexico and the US national team.

Ronaldo's injury occurred on February 28th when he suffered a hamstring issue and was forced to leave the match midway. Recovery time is predicted to potentially extend up to 4 weeks. After already missing Al Nassr's two most recent matches, bringing him back to play early against Mexico or the US national team could worsen the situation.

If Ronaldo lacks sufficient fitness for the March friendly series, Portugal's North American tour could also be impacted commercially. This raises the question: why call up an injured player instead of giving an opportunity to a new talent?

The answer lies in Ronaldo's influence, both on and off the pitch, for the Portugal national team. At 41, the former Real Madrid star maintains impressive scoring form under coach Roberto Martinez, with 13 goals in his last 14 appearances for the national team.

In a conversation on the podcast Portugal Football Summit on February 23rd, coach Martinez expressed his admiration for Ronaldo: “I have never worked with a player who, every morning, focuses maximally to utilize that day for self-improvement. If we could have Cristiano forever, it would be the easiest way for young players to learn when joining the national team, because he possesses focus at that level. His desire is to use each day to become better.”