LISBON, Nov 9 – Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz on Sunday announced a 23-man squad, including a nominally injured Cristiano Ronaldo, to face Bosnia in their November 14 and November 18 World Cup playoff games.
Queiroz has called on Ronaldo, despite the opposition of the player’s club Real Madrid, who estimate their star will be out of action for at least two more weeks as he recovers from an ankle injury which has forced him to miss the club’s last seven matches.
Ronaldo initially injured his right ankle in Real’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Marseille at the end of September and aggravated the problem while playing for Portugal on October 10.
Quieroz says that the national team’s doctors will examine him and see if he can play some kind of a role, even from the bench.
Two new names in the squad are Benfica’s Fabio Coentrao and Chelsea keeper Hilario while Ricardo Costa, a defender with German champions Wolfsburg, is back after a two-year absence.
Portugal, semi-finalists in 2006, play Bosnia on November 14 in Lisbon and November 18 in Zenica with the winners qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.
Portugal squad:
Goalkeepers: Hilario (Chelsea/ENG), Eduardo (Sporting Braga), Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon).
Defenders: Ricardo Costa (Wolfsburg/GER), Bruno Alves (FC Porto), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea/ENG), Miguel (Valencia/ESP), Pepe (Real Madrid/ESP), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea/ENG), Rolando (FC Porto).
Midfielders: Deco (Chelsea/ENG), Duda (Malaga/ESP), Joao Moutinho (Sporting Lisbon), Fabio Coentrao (Benfica), Miguel Veloso (Sporting Lisbon), Raul Meireles (FC Porto), Tiago (Juventus/ITA).
Strikers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/ESP), Liedson (Sporting Lisbon), Nani (Manchester United/ENG), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen/GER), Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Edinho (Malaga/ESP)
