Lisbon, Oct 4 (IANS): Portugal's new football coach Fernando Santos has named his squad of 24 players for games against France and Denmark later this month.

The list includes three players who have been called up for the first time - Ivo Pinto of Dinamo Zagreb, Joao Mario of Sporting Club of Lisbon and Jose Fonte of Southampton, the Portuguese Football Federation said on its website Friday, reports Xinhua.

Santos also included Danny, Ricardo Carvalho and Tiago who had previously been dropped from the squad by his predecessor.

"We will see a winning team made up of players that want to make the country very happy. In strategic, technical and tactical terms we will face the competition on a game by game basis, whilst always taking into account the difficulties that each adversary gives us," Santos said in a press conference to announce the team.

The Portuguese national football team is due to play a friendly against France Oct 11 in Paris and a Euro 2016 qualifier against Denmark Oct 14 in Copenhagen.

Due to an eight-game FIFA ban Fernando Santos will not be allowed on the sidelines of the Denmark game.

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Anthony Lopes (Lyon), Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Beto (Sevilla/ESP)

Defenders: Bruno Alves (Fenerbahce/TUR), Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid/ESP), Pepe (Real Madrid/ESP), Antunes (Malaga/ESP), Ricardo Carvalho (Monaco), Ivo Pinto (Dinamo Zagreb/CRO), Cedric (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Eliseu (Benfica/POR), Jose Fonte (Southampton/ENG)

Mildfielders: Adrien Silva (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Andre Gomes (Valencia/ESP), Joao Moutinho (Monaco), William Carvalho (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Joao Mario (Sporting/POR), Tiago (Atletico Madrid/ESP)

Strikers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/ESP), Vieirinha (Wolfsburg/GER), Eder (Sporting Braga/POR), Nani (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Ricardo Quaresma (FC Porto/POR), Danny (Zenit/RUS).