Portugal’s national team coach, Jorge Jesus, has confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo remains eligible to rejoin the squad if he chooses to do so, despite recent tensions that saw the veteran player leave the team camp. This statement follows Portugal’s successful victory over Norway in the Nations League, a match in which Ronaldo did not participate.
The situation unfolded after Jorge Jesus decided to bench the 41-year-old star during the clash against Norway, Portugal’s first win over the Scandinavian side in this competition. Ronaldo’s frustration grew when he learned he would not start in the subsequent match against Denmark, prompting him to walk out on the team.
Addressing the issue, Jesus emphasized that Ronaldo’s return is contingent on the player’s own decision. “For me, Cris, in the next call-up, if he’s playing at Al-Nassr, he’ll be a player who can be called up,” the coach remarked, referring to Ronaldo’s current club in Saudi Arabia. “If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team.”
Dialogue and Decisions Ahead of November Fixtures
Jorge Jesus also indicated his openness to discussing the situation further with Ronaldo before upcoming matches scheduled for November. The coach recalled their prior communication, stating, “If he wants to, as we did before this call-up, we talked before the call-up, we can talk before the next call-up. But Cris is the one who’s going to decide.”
Ronaldo, who holds the record as Portugal’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, had been informed by Jesus of his importance to the squad during his initial tenure as head coach, which began following the 2026 World Cup after Roberto Martinez’s departure. The coach reiterated the significance of Ronaldo’s presence as he begins this new chapter with the national team.