Cristiano Ronaldo's Future with Portugal Depends on His Decision, Says Coach Jorge Jesus

Portugal's newly appointed national team coach Jorge Jesus stated on Friday that he would welcome Cristiano Ronaldo back to the squad if the veteran forward chooses to continue his international career. Following Portugal's elimination by Spain in the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo has hinted that he may have played his last World Cup match.

Ronaldo's Role in the National Team

Jesus emphasized that as long as Ronaldo remains fit and in form, he will select him for the national team. “As long as he’s playing and is in a condition to be selected, I will pick him,” Jesus told reporters during his presentation. He further added, “Cris is never going to be a problem for the national team. Not for the national team, nor for me.”

The coach regards Ronaldo as a key figure in Portuguese football, stating, “Cris is a symbol of Portuguese football. Cris is a symbol of the national team… that will forever be in the history books.” Having previously coached Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, Jesus expressed confidence in the forward's capabilities.

Future Discussions with Ronaldo

While Jesus has yet to speak directly with Ronaldo about his future, he plans to have that conversation soon. “We’re going to have a conversation between the two of us about what he wants to do with the future of his career,” he remarked.

Ronaldo, who has won the Ballon d'Or five times, indicated during the tournament that he might retire from international duty. However, Jesus remains optimistic about Ronaldo's continued involvement, stating that he knows Ronaldo wants to keep playing at Al-Nassr.

Jesus's Tenure and Portugal's Aspirations

Jorge Jesus, who has a wealth of experience in football management, will lead the national team through to the 2030 World Cup, which Portugal is co-hosting with Spain and Morocco. His goal is to build a competitive squad capable of achieving success on the international stage.

With Ronaldo's future still uncertain, fans will be eager to see how this situation unfolds as the national team prepares for upcoming challenges.