Jorge Jesus keeps CR7 despite the change of manager

At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo has been selected again by Portugal's new coach, Jorge Jesus, who released his first squad for the Nations League this Friday, confirming that the change of manager has not affected the captain's position after the 2026 World Cup.

The departure of Roberto Martínez and the arrival of Jorge Jesus did not lead to the ousting of CR7, aka Cristiano Ronaldo. The 41‑year‑old captain thus kept his place after Portugal's elimination by Spain in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. That defeat had revived questions about the future of his international career.

When presenting his mandate in July, Jorge Jesus said that Ronaldo would “never be a problem”. Jorge recalled having replaced him sixteen times when he was managing the Al‑Nassr striker. Their partnership goes back to their shared years in Saudi Arabia, where Jesus publicly defended the Brazilian's status.

Offensive options

Besides CR7, the squad includes Gonçalo Ramos, Fábio Silva, Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceição. The presence of these forwards fuels the debate over the playing time the captain should receive. The manager will have to choose between Ronaldo's experience and the freshness of his teammates.

Portugal takes the upper hand over Wales in the Nations League

Nations League schedule

Portugal will open its campaign on September 24 at home against Wales at 20:45. It will then travel on September 27 to Norway, followed by a match on October 1 in Denmark. A second encounter with Norway, at home, will take place on October 4, bringing the total to four games in eleven days.

Cristiano Ronaldo continues his record chase, with his goal tally currently at 979. He is aiming for his thousandth career goal, while for Portugal he is seeking his 150th, needing four more. These objectives remain to be reached in the upcoming international fixtures.

Since the World Cup, some voices claim that Portugal would be better off without him, recalling that Lionel Messi announced his retirement after the Argentine tournament. Ronaldo, however, told Vogue that the current season was “probably my last year in football”. He has not ruled out aiming for Euro 2028, which would see him at 43.

Ronaldo aims for 1,000 goals and a Nations League win as final target

The call‑up confirms Ronaldo's continuity in the national team, but does not guarantee that he will retain the same role under Jorge Jesus. The upcoming training sessions and tactical choices will determine how many minutes he will see on the pitch. Thus, it will be the captain's management during the Nations League that will reveal whether the change of manager has truly altered anything.