Jorge Jesus leaves Cristiano Ronaldo's comeback open

In the Estádio do Dragão in Porto the Portuguese national team celebrated after the 2-1 victory over Norway, while coach Jorge Jesus stressed that a possible comeback of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was still open. The 41-year-old record scorer has not been injured in the Nations League so far.

Jesus keeps comeback open

After the 2-1 success against Norway in Porto, Jorge Jesus said: “For me, Cris is a candidate for the squad at the next call‑up – provided he plays at Al‑Nassr. If he wants to return, he will return.” The coach emphasized that a misunderstanding existed, which was easy to resolve.

Cristiano Ronaldo had left the national team during the week after he was not used in the first leg in Norway and was not in the starting eleven for the subsequent clash in Denmark (4-2). The 41-year-old superstar therefore remained on the sidelines during the turbulent match week.

The 72-year-old Jorge Jesus, who coached Ronaldo in the previous season at Al‑Nassr in Saudi Arabia and led the club to the championship, spoke of a misunderstanding that was easy to resolve. He emphasized that the decision on a possible return in November was not solely his to make.

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“I don’t know what will happen. Cris is the one who will decide,” said Jesus. Portuguese federation president Pedro Proença announced that he would mediate between Ronaldo and Jesus to clear up the misunderstanding. The final decision is to be made at the right time.

Portugal remains Nations League unbeatable

Under Jesus, Portugal led the Nations League with four wins in four games and qualified early for the quarter‑finals. The defending champions won all three matches in the week without Ronaldo, thereby continuing their flawless record.

New captain Bruno Fernandes called Ronaldo “the greatest symbol of our national team, our football and our country.” Full‑back Nuno Mendes promised to welcome him with open arms, while João Cancelo stressed that the situation should be resolved respectfully and in the best interest of everyone.

Ronaldo breaks silence, blames dishonesty after quitting Portugal team

In the three games without Ronaldo, Gonçalo Ramos took on the role of centre‑forward and contributed to the team’s success. The squad thereby demonstrated that it remains competitive even without its record scorer.