Ronaldo (41) recalled again for Portugal – Jesus trusts veteran

The 41‑year‑old world star Cristiano Ronaldo was called up to the squad of the Portuguese national team by the new head coach Jorge Jesus and therefore faces his next assignment for Portugal, even though the team was eliminated in the round of 16 after the disappointing World Cup and had to endure criticism for his performances.

Portugal meets Wales in the Nations League next Thursday. The match is the first of the upcoming internationals for which Ronaldo was called up.

Subsequently, there are fixtures against Norway, Denmark and Norway again. These dates round out the international schedule for the coming weeks.

Ronaldo: Records and Experience

The forward from the Saudi club Al‑Nassr is Portugal's record appearance holder and record goal scorer. With over 800 international matches, he holds the national record for caps.

Portugal takes the upper hand over Wales in the Nations League

The World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico was Ronaldo's sixth participation – a record he shares with Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa. Portugal were eliminated in the round of 16 against the eventual champions Spain.

After the elimination, Ronaldo had to endure criticism for his performances. Despite the controversy, he remains a central element in Portugal's attack.

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

Coach Jesus also relies on Bundesliga professional Fabio Silva from Dortmund, who is aiming for his second international match. Silva could thus further diversify the attacking options.