Cristiano Ronaldo included as Portugal announce squad for upcoming UEFA Nations League games

Cristiano Ronaldo will represent Portugal in their UEFA Nations League games this month after being included in the official line-up to participate in the competition. The national team released their full squad for the competition in a post on their official Twitter page today.

It is worth noting that there were doubts as to whether Ronaldo would be selected to represent Portugal in the Nations League following his slow start with Manchester United this season.

The attacker has been far from his best since the campaign kicked off amid transfer-related distractions and adapting to new manager Erik Ten Hag's tactics. So far, the Portuguese has made seven appearances for the Red Devils, playing 297 minutes of football without a goal or assist.

Despite that, Portugal manager Fernando Santos has chosen to stick by the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, apparently for various reasons. Firstly, his struggles at club level have very little to no impact on what he can give to the national team.

In addition to that, his presence in the squad will significantly boost the confidence level and morale of his teammates, while his experience will also be of significant influence.

Meanwhile, Portugal's squad for the competition features other incredible superstars such as Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Pepe and Joao Felix.

Below is the full list of players who made the cut:

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Patricio.

Defenders: Danilo Pereira, Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Tiago Djalo, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Nuno Mendes, Raphael Guerreiro.

Midfielders: Joao Palhinha, Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Mario, Matheus Nunes, Vitinha, William Carvalho.

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota, Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, Rafa Silva, Ricardo Horta, Rafael Leao.

Manager: Fernando Santos.

Who will Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal face in the Nations League this month?

Will Cristiano Ronaldo recover his form in the Nations League this month?

Portugal will take on Czech Republic in their first game of the international break at the Eden Arena on Saturday (September 24). They will then lock horns with Spain in their last group phase game at the Estadio Municipal de Braga on September 27.

As things stand, Portugal occupies the second position in their group, one point below leaders Spain and three above third-placed Czech Republic.