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LISBON, Portugal (AP) -New Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz dropped Betis goalkeeper Ricardo and four other players for next week's friendly against Faeroe Islands.
The former assistant coach at Manchester United on Thursday also called up striker Danny of Dynamo Moscow and picked Eduardo as backup goalkeeper for Wednesday's match in Aveiro.
He also recalled Malaga midfielder Duda, Benfica's Carlos Martins, Lecce defender Antunes and Valencia midfielder Manuel Fernandes. He dropped Postiga, Jorge Ribeiro, Petit and Quaresma, who were all part of Portugal's European Championship squad.
Rui Patricio and Miguel Veloso, who were also on the Euro 2008 team, had already been called up for the under-21 side. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, is out with an injury.
Queiroz said Quim would replace Ricardo as the first-choice goalkeeper.
"We have a new cycle representing new challenges for the Portuguese national team, the players and the coaching crew," Queiroz said. "It's a new cycle of challenges and bigger objectives that we want to attain to keep our side among the best in the world."
Portugal plays Malta and Denmark in September and Sweden and Albania in October to start its qualifying campaign for the tournament in South Africa 2010.
Queiroz's previous three-year stint as national team coach ended when his team failed to reach the 1994 World Cup. This time he replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari who ended a five-year spell to join Chelsea after leading Portugal to the Euro 2008 quarterfinals.
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Squad:
Goalkeepers: Quim (Benfica), Eduardo (SC Braga), Daniel Fernandes (VFL Bochum 1848);
Defenders: Jose Bosingwa (Chelsea), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Pepe (Real Madrid), Bruno Alves (FC Porto), Fernando Meira (Galatasaray SK), Antunes (US Lecce SPA), Miguel (Valencia).
Midfielders: Deco (Chelsea), Duda (Malaga), Raul Meireles (FC Porto), Carlos Martins (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (Sporting CP) and Manuel Fernandes (Valencia).
Forwards: Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid), Danny (Dynamo Moscow), Nani (Manchester United), Nuno Gomes (Benfica), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen).
