Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of Roberto Martinez’s latest Portugal squad amid his ongoing injury issues. The 41-year-old has been out of action since February after sustaining a hamstring problem, which has seen him miss Al-Nassr’s past two league games.

With the former Manchester United star failing to recover in time, he has not been given a place in the latest Portugal squad - which represents the penultimate selection before this summer’s World Cup.

Boss Martinez said: “We have players who are not ready. We have Ruben Dias, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Nelson Semedo, players who are not medically fit.”

Despite Ronaldo having been left out, Martinez does not believe the issue will keep him out of the tournament itself. He added: “No, he’s not in danger. It’s a minor muscle injury. Everything Cristiano has done physically this season shows that he’s in great shape.”

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page

• Thomas Tuchel leaves door open for Max Dowman World Cup call-up

• Thomas Tuchel names 11 players who won't join initial England squad in radical shake-up

Portugal take on Mexico and the USA across the international fortnight. They will then turn their attention to the World Cup where they have been drawn to face Uzbekistan, Colombia and the winner of the intercontinental playoff.

Ronaldo will be desperate to be fit in time for the tournament. The 226-time capped Portugal international has played at five World Cups in all - his first coming in 2006.

He has already confirmed that the upcoming tournament will be his final one on the international stage. England icon Chris Waddle has already offered his take on Ronaldo’s prospects at the tournament and suggested he could be in line for a huge role.

Speaking to BetVictor, he said: “For Martinez, he's probably thinking, 'I'd like to start someone else and then bring Ronaldo off the bench, where he could win the game in the last 15-20 minutes.'

“He's looked after himself, and going to the World Cup, I know he wants to win it, and he wants to finish on a high. But sometimes you've got to look at the team, and sometimes you may say, 'Look, mate, I'm bringing you off the bench. If I need to, I'm going to bring you off the bench for the last 15-20 minutes because you can change the game quite easily at that stage.’

“Who knows what he'll do? But I'm sure some days Martinez would think, 'I don't really want to start him, but I've got no option.'”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.