Why isn’t Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Portugal against Mexico today at Estadio Azteca?
Physical issues will keep Mexican fans from enjoying Cristiano Ronaldo’s magic tonight at Estadio Azteca. The Portugal forward was left out of Roberto Martinez’s squad for the March FIFA international break, which is why he will not play against Mexico this Saturday or against the USMNT next Tuesday.
Ronaldo has been out of action for exactly one month. He last played an official match for Al Nassr on February 28, in a 3-1 win over Al Fayha in the Saudi Pro League. Following that performance, the forward was diagnosed with a hamstring injury that he is still recovering from.
This physical issue forced CR7 to miss his club’s last two league matches, but it has had an even bigger impact at the international level. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez was unable to include him in the squad for the March FIFA international break, during which the national team is facing Mexico and the USMNT.
That means Ronaldo will not return to action with Portugal before Martinez finalizes the 26-man roster that will represent the country at the 2026 World Cup, a decision that must be made by May 30. While this does not affect the forward’s chances of making the squad, it does represent a setback in the team’s preparation, as they will be without their biggest star at a key stage on the road to the FIFA tournament.
Possible return date for Cristiano Ronaldo
At the time Ronaldo’s injury was confirmed in early March, Al Nassr avoided providing a specific timeline for his return, instead stating that “he started a rehabilitation program and will be under evaluation day by day.”
Days later, Jorge Jesus was candid in acknowledging that the situation was not encouraging. “After tests, we see the injury suffered by Cristiano Ronaldo was more serious than expected,” said the Al Nassr coach.
Several weeks have passed since then, and Ronaldo has shown positive signs of nearing a full recovery with an optimistic message. “Good to be back! Looking good,” he said in a social media post. Based on that latest update, reports now indicate that CR7 could return on April 3, when Al Nassr face Al-Najma in the Saudi Pro League.
Who will replace Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal?
For Saturday night’s matchup vs. Mexico at Estadio Azteca, Roberto Martinez faces the challenge of finding a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo. Reports indicate that Goncalo Ramos will take the center forward role in the starting lineup, supported in attack by Joao Felix and Pedro Neto.