New Sporting Coach Arrives in Lisbon

The Marechal Ângelo da Cunha Machado International Airport in São Luís (Maranhão state) has received its first regular flight from Lisbon, marking the opening of a new air route between the state of Maranhão and Europe.

This new air service will operate twice a week. It will allow passengers to fly from São Luís to the capital of Portugal, as well as provide opportunities for connecting flights to other European cities and international destinations.

According to the airline, the flights will be operated on Airbus A321LR aircraft, designed for 171 passengers: 16 in business class and 155 in economy class.

Departures from Lisbon are scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays, with arrival in São Luís early the next morning. Flights from the capital of Maranhão will depart on Tuesdays and Fridays, with a mandatory stop in Fortaleza before further travel to Portugal.

New route may stimulate tourism in Maranhão

It is expected that this air connection will facilitate the arrival of foreign tourists in the state of Maranhão, especially in Lençóis Maranhenses, which is one of the region's main tourist attractions. Furthermore, the new route is capable of expanding international travel opportunities for residents of Maranhão.

It is planned that starting in March 2027, the frequency of flights between Lisbon and São Luís will increase from two to three weekly flights.

A federation source told the AFP agency on Tuesday that Cristiano Ronaldo has been included in the preliminary squad of the Portugal national team for Nations League matches next month, opening the possibility of his return to international level after disagreements with coach Jorge Jesus.

The forty-year-old footballer suddenly left the Portugal national team camp on September 30 during the first Nations League qualifying matches. He accused Jesus of breaking a promise to give him playing time.

A representative of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed reports that Ronaldo is on the list of candidates to return to the team before home games against Denmark and Wales, scheduled for November 14 and 17, respectively. The FPF representative added that Jesus will announce the final squad on November 6.

Last week, the FPF announced a 30-day suspension for Ronaldo for leaving the team. This suspension was retroactive, meaning he can return by the end of this week.

Earlier in October, Ronaldo apologized to fans, stating that he would accept any punishment imposed. Immediately after leaving his teammates, he accused Jesus in a social media post of promising him playing time against Norway but failing to keep that promise, while emphasizing that he does not intend to end his career internationally.

He also pointed out that another point of contention between him and the coach was that Jesus did not mention several agreed-upon points in the press conference before the match against Denmark.

Portugal, the reigning champion, won all four Nations League matches, three of which were without Ronaldo's participation, and qualified for the quarter-finals with two games in reserve. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is a record holder for goals and matches in men's international football.

Ronaldo, who debuted for Portugal in 2003 at the age of 18, stated that this would 'probably' be his last year in football.