Cristiano Ronaldo has put an end to speculation about his future with the national team after being named in the Portugal squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches. The new head coach, Jorge Jesus, included the veteran forward in his first selection.
Previously, Ronaldo refused to confirm whether he would continue playing for Portugal after the group stage exit of the FIFA World Cup 2026 against the Spanish finalists in July. The 41-year-old athlete also hinted that this tournament might be his last World Cup, but he had not officially announced his retirement from international football.
His inclusion in Portugal's first squad under Jesus confirms that Ronaldo remains available for national team appearances as the European side begins a new chapter under its new manager.
Jesus was appointed after Roberto Martínez left following Portugal's exit from the World Cup. The former Al-Nassr coach is familiar with Ronaldo, having worked with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner at the club level in Saudi Arabia, where they won the league title together last season.
Nevertheless, Jesus emphasized that Ronaldo would not receive special privileges under his management. He told reporters: 'All called-up players are at my disposal; if he plays well, he plays. If he plays poorly, he doesn't play. I treat everyone that way.'
Ronaldo remains the top scorer in men's international football with 146 goals and aims to reach the milestone of 1000 career goals. He currently has 979 goals at the club and international level.
Jesus believes that Ronaldo is more likely to reach this benchmark with Al-Nassr than with the Portugal national team. The coach noted: 'I think he is more likely to score his thousandth goal for Al-Nassr than for the Portugal national team.'
Portugal will begin its Nations League campaign at home against Wales on September 24, followed by a match against Norway three days later. Then, the team will play away against Denmark on October 1, and on October 4, they will host Norway at their stadium.
The Portugal squad includes goalkeepers Diogo Costa, Rui Silva, and Samuel Soares; defenders Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Rúben Dias, Tomás Araújo, João Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Nuno Tavares, and Nuno Mendes; midfielders Bruno Fernandes, João Palhinha, Rúben Neves, João Neves, Vitinha, and Bernardo Silva; and forwards Cristiano Ronaldo, Fábio Silva, Trincão, Francisco Conceição, Gonçalo Ramos, João Félix, Pedro Neto, and Rafael Leão.