Ronaldo endures a frustrating night at Jesus' first team coach debut
Portugal began on Thursday under new manager Jorge Jesus with a 1-0 home win against Wales in the UEFA Nations League 2026/27. The familiar face Cristiano Ronaldo was in the starting eleven from the outset. Despite the victory, the evening was marked by frustration for the 41-year-old striker.
The match marked the official start of a new era for the Seleção das Quinas, as the photo by Soccrates Images/GettyImages shows. At the Estádio José Alvalade the Portuguese met Wales in Group 4 of League A to begin their title defence. The win yielded three points, but in a surprisingly tough match. Jesus was on the sidelines for the first time as the coach of the Quinas, a debut that immediately came under pressure.
A narrow win thanks to João Félix
João Félix, also from Al‑Nassr, scored the only goal in the 22nd minute after a deflected shot. This secured Portugal's 1-0 victory, while Ronaldo operated alongside him in attack. The result left the Quinas heading into the next round with a one‑point lead.
After his return to Lisbon Ronaldo recorded only 27 touches, just one more than goalkeeper Diogo Costa. Despite the limited involvement he shot seven times, three shots more than any other player on the pitch. Most attempts came from close range. The high number of shots reflected Ronaldo's attempt to open up the game, even though the touches remained low.
Jorge Jesus swaps Cristiano Ronaldo for pressing power in Wales win
Ronaldo fights for efficiency
Shortly after halftime he received a cross from Rubén Neves that was too low, even though its expected xG value was 0.5. In the 10th minute Ronaldo hit the post, later he struck the gloves of goalkeeper Danny Ward from just outside the penalty area. The reaction of the five‑time Ballon d’Or winner was a frantic wave of the arms.
After a precise lofted pass Ronaldo finally converted his seventh shot, calmly slotting the ball into the lower corner. However the VAR decision ruled the goal out, because he was in an off‑side position at the moment of Bruno Fernandes' pass.
Ronaldo admitted that after the disappointing World Cup he had considered retiring from the national team, but chose to continue his 23‑year international career. The 41‑year‑old striker therefore played his 234th cap, an evening he would rather forget.
Joao Felix leads Portugal to victory over Wales
Despite the narrow success the task for the Quinas to increase the efficiency of their attacking players remains a central challenge. The frustrating evening showed that even a player of Ronaldo's calibre does not automatically deliver victory.