Why is Cristiano Ronaldo not playing for Portugal against Mexico today? Latest injury update raises fresh concern before 2026 FIFA World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo will not play for Portugal national football team against Mexico national football team today, and the reason is: he is still recovering from a small injury. The match is being played at Estadio Azteca, but Portugal’s captain has been left out to protect his fitness.

He picked up this injury on February 28 while playing for Al Nassr in a league win over Al Fayha. It was a right hamstring issue, and since then, he has not played a match. Because of this, he will also miss the next friendly against the United States in Atlanta.Now here’s the key point, this is not a big injury. Portugal are just being careful. With the 2026 World Cup coming soon, the team does not want to rush him back too early.

Ronaldo is 41 and still very important to the team, so managing his fitness matters more than playing him in friendly games. Even without him, Portugal has enough strong players to handle these matches. So this decision is more about long-term planning than today’s result.

Cristiano Ronaldo injury update: Roberto Martínez explains why Portugal captain is resting before World Cup

Portugal coach Roberto Martínez made the situation very clear while speaking to reporters. He confirmed that Ronaldo is not in danger and should be back soon.

He said, “No, he is not at risk. He has a minor injury. It is a muscle injury. It is an injury that we think he can recover from in a week or two. So it is not a very long period.”Then he added another important point, saying, “I think everything that Cristiano has done, physically, during this season shows that he is in great shape, and that there is no physical problem.”So, Portugal is not worried. They just want him fully fit before bigger matches begin.

Cristiano Ronaldo also gave fans a small update himself. On Friday, he shared photos from training with Al Nassr and wrote, “On the ball.” That shows he has already started working again and is getting closer to returning.Looking ahead, Portugal will start their World Cup journey on June 17. They will face either DR Congo or Jamaica first, then play Uzbekistan and Colombia in the group stage. These are the games that really matter, and that is why the team is being extra careful right now.For today’s match, Portugal will rely on players like Bruno Fernandes, João Félix, and Gonçalo Ramos to lead the attack.Portugal squad (Mexico & USA friendlies)

Portugal are simply playing it safe with Cristiano Ronaldo, keeping him out to avoid any risk before the World Cup. If his recovery stays on track, he should be back soon and ready for the matches that truly matter.