Portugal: Ronaldo included at 41, Jorge Jesus rules out any privileges

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named in the first squad of Jorge Jesus as head coach of Portugal, but his status does not guarantee him a place. The 41-year-old captain has been selected in a 25-man group for the upcoming four Nations League matches, the coach announced on Friday, September 18.

This decision keeps Ronaldo in the new Portuguese cycle following a summer that raised questions about his international future. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner confirmed in July that the 2026 World Cup would be his last and indicated in August that the upcoming season would likely be the final one of his career.

However, Jorge Jesus has set a clear rule for his former player at Al-Nassr: current performances will take precedence over past achievements. The coach explained that Ronaldo will be treated like everyone else when it comes to deciding who plays.

Portugal retains several key players around him, including Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Rúben Dias, João Neves, Vitinha, and Rafael Leão. João Palhinha returns to the squad after missing the World Cup, while José Sá, Nélson Semedo, Matheus Nunes, Samu Costa, and Gonçalo Guedes are not included in this initial selection.

Jorge Jesus will lead his first home match against Wales on September 24. The Portuguese will then travel to Norway on September 27 and Denmark on October 1, before hosting Norway again on October 4.

Portugal enters this campaign as the defending Nations League champions. Ronaldo has made 233 appearances and scored 146 goals for the national team, which he joined for the first time in 2003.