Danilo Pereira: “No one explained why I stopped being called up for the national team”

Danilo Pereira boasts an impressive international career with Portugal, including a European Championship (2016) and a Nations League title (2019), alongside 74 caps and two goals. However, since his move from PSG to Saudi Arabia, he hasn't received a call-up from Roberto Martínez for the national team.

His last appearance for Portugal was on June 26, 2024, against Georgia (0-2) in the group stage, spending the remainder of the tournament on the bench. Nevertheless, the Al Ittihad player, who has another year left on his contract with the Saudi club under Sérgio Conceição, isn't closing the door on his national team future.

“The national team journey is always a great path for any player, and for me, it’s been important since I joined over a decade ago. I haven't been called up recently, but I can't say the door is closed,” he stated in an interview with Sport TV, when asked if anyone had explained why he was no longer being selected.

“If everything was resolved? I don't think there's much to resolve. No one has spoken to me, no one has told me anything either, but it's a door that's always open for me,” he affirmed, though he admitted he doesn't expect to be called up for the 2026 World Cup.

“No, I don't think so. Having not been called up for any recent squads, I'm not expecting to be selected. I believe, at this moment, the group also has players who are well-settled... I think it's very difficult,” he concluded, praising Portugal's current crop of central defenders, including Rúben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Tomás Araújo, and António Silva.