At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be a central figure for Portugal. Despite earlier signals regarding his international future, the forward has been named in new manager Jorge Jesus’s inaugural 25-man squad for the UEFA Nations League. While Ronaldo has previously hinted that the 2026 World Cup could serve as his final major tournament, he has not yet confirmed an exact retirement date from international duty.
The coaching transition follows the departure of Roberto Martinez, who parted ways with the Portuguese Football Federation after a 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup Round of 16. Jorge Jesus, 72, has made five adjustments to the squad compared to the previous World Cup roster. Players including Jose Sa, Nelson Semedo, Samu Costa, Goncalo Guedes, and Matheus Nunes have been dropped. Conversely, goalkeeper Samuel Soares has received his first call-up, while Nuno Tavares, Fabio Silva, and Joao Palhinha have returned to the setup.
Addressing his decision, Jesus emphasized that he evaluates players based on their current training and match performance rather than past accolades. He noted that while he respects Ronaldo’s legendary status and his achievements—including being the all-time international top scorer with 146 goals and a 2016 European champion—every player will be held to the same selection criteria. The pair shares a history, as Jesus coached Ronaldo to a league title at Al-Nassr last season, which likely contributed to his continued trust in the veteran captain.
Ronaldo, who has accumulated 979 goals across his club and international career, currently stands on the verge of the historic 1,000-goal milestone. Portugal’s Nations League campaign under the new manager kicks off on September 24 with a home fixture against Wales. This will be followed by an away match against Norway on September 27, a clash with Denmark on October 1, and a return home match against Norway on October 4.
