Gustavo Varela has earned his first senior Portugal call-up after an impressive start to the Serie A season with Monza. The 21-year-old forward has scored nine goals in nine league appearances in 2026-27, making him Serie A’s leading scorer.
Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has included him in a 28-man squad for the final UEFA Nations League group games against Denmark and Wales. Varela’s selection comes in Portugal’s first squad since Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement.
Jesus has named seven new faces, including Varela and Porto right-back Alberto Costa, who have both received their first senior call-ups.
The Numbers Behind Gustavo Varela’s Call-Up
Varela has also provided one assist, giving him 10 direct goal contributions in nine league appearances. He leads Monza’s scoring charts by a considerable distance.
Jay Robinson is next on two goals, while Ricardo Mangas, Eddy Kouadio, Andrea Colpani, Saba Goglichidze and Exequiel Zeballos have one each.
| Players | Serie A appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Gustavo Varela | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| Jay Robinson | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Ricardo Mangas | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Eddy Kouadio | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Andrea Colpani | 6 | 1 | 0 |
His form has come during a difficult campaign for Monza, who sit 18th in Serie A. Varela has scored in four consecutive league matches against Cagliari, Torino, Napoli and Bologna between 19 and 31 October.
Why Jorge Jesus Chose Gustavo Varela
Jesus has made it clear that Varela’s selection is based on his performances and position at the top of the Italian scoring charts.
“On Varela… he’s the top scorer in Italian football,” Jesus said. “To achieve that you need remarkable quality. Starting from that, I decided to put my faith in him, also because we mustn’t forget he’s only 21.” As reported by Yardbarker
Varela joins a squad featuring established attackers such as Rafael Leao, Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos, Pedro Neto and Fabio Silva.
Portugal host Denmark on 14 November before travelling to Wales three days later. Having already qualified for the Nations League quarter-finals, Jesus may use the fixtures to assess his new selections and allow Varela to make his debut.
The Moment Varela Found Out About His Call-Up
Varela discovered he had been selected while speaking to SportMediaset. During the interview, he had been asked what representing Portugal would mean to him.
“If the call-up comes, it will be like a trophy,” Varela said. “Representing the senior national team would be like winning a trophy. If it does not come now, it will come later. I will work for it.”
Moments later, a member of the production team interrupted to deliver the news.
“Oh my God… I have no words, I have no words. It is a huge emotion,” Varela said.
Varela’s progress has taken him from Benfica’s youth system to Gil Vicente, where he spent last season, and now Monza, where his performances have earned him a place in the senior national team.
Although Ronaldo’s retirement creates a new chapter for Portugal, Varela faces competition from several experienced forwards. A first call-up does not guarantee regular selection, and he will need to show that his club form can translate to international football.
For now, the opportunity to train with the senior squad and work under Jesus is an important next step in his career.
