Portugal’s new head coach, Jorge Jesus, has named Cristiano Ronaldo in his first squad list, putting an end to any speculation about whether the veteran striker would still have a role to play under the incoming manager.
The call-up means Ronaldo continues in the setup he’s led for over two decades, giving Jesus a chance to lean on one of the most experienced heads in Portuguese football as he settles into the job.
And it’s not hard to see why Jesus wanted him around. Ronaldo holds the record for most international caps (231) and most international goals (145) in men’s football history, the numbers no other player in the game, past or present, has come close to matching.
Ronaldo also carved out a piece of World Cup history that stands alone: he’s the first and only player ever to score in six different FIFA World Cups, a run that stretches all the way back to Germany 2006.
For a coach walking into a new job, that kind of experience is hard to overlook. Beyond the goals and the caps, Ronaldo remains Portugal’s captain and a dressing-room leader, someone Jesus can build early cohesion around while he figures out his squad and tactics ahead of a tricky Nations League group.
News of the call-up came from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who confirmed on Friday on X that Ronaldo would continue with the national team.
“Cristiano Ronaldo will continue with Portugal national team! He’s been called up for the upcoming games by new head coach Jorge Jesus,” Romano wrote.
Portugal kick off their 2026/27 UEFA Nations League campaign on September 24, hosting Wales at home. Four days later, they travel to face Norway, before a trip to Denmark on October 1.
The group stage continues on October 4, when Norway visit Portugal, before the campaign wraps up with back-to-back away fixtures with Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17.
Portugal sit in League A, Group 4, alongside Wales, Norway and Denmark.