Queiroz leaves Ze Castro out of Portugal squad

Deportivo La Coruna defender Ze Castro was the only casualty for Portugal Tuesday as coach Carlos Queiroz announced his final World Cup squad through the Portuguese football federation (FPF).

Ze Castro’s omission, however, has not come as a huge surprise.

He has played only one game for Portugal and was not part of Queiroz’s pre-World Cup squad currently playing a series of friendlies.

At the finals in South Africa Portugal will face Ivory Coast on June 15 before facing fellow Group G opponents Brazil and North Korea.

Portugal

Goalkeepers: Eduardo (Sporting Braga), Daniel Fernandes (Iraklis/GRE), Beto (FC Porto)

Defenders: Miguel (Valencia/ESP), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea/ENG), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea/ENG), Bruno Alves (FC Porto), Rolando (FC Porto), Ricardo Costa (Lille/FRA), Duda (Malaga/ESP), Fabio Coentrao (Benfica)

Midfielders: Pedro Mendes (Sporting Lisbon), Pepe (Real Madrid), Tiago (Athletico Madrid), Deco (Chelsea/ENG), Raul Meireles (FC Porto), Miguel Veloso (Sporting Lisbon)

Strikers: Simao (Athletico Madrid/ESP), Danny (Zenit St Petersburg/RUS), Liedson (Sporting Lisbon), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen/GER), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/ESP), Nani (Manchester United/ENG)