Cristiano Ronaldo has been called up to Portugal’s squad for the first four rounds of the UEFA Nations League, according to a list announced Friday by new head coach Jorge Jesus.
اضافة اعلان
As expected, the first squad selected by the 71-year-old Portuguese coach includes the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who could be entering the final season of his career at the age of 41.
Jesus replaced Spain’s Roberto Martinez following the 2026 World Cup. Last season, he coached Portugal captain Ronaldo at Saudi club Al Nassr, where “CR7” continues to play after announcing in August that this season would “probably” be his last as a professional footballer.
During this summer’s World Cup, the Madeira-born forward became the first player in history to score at six different editions of the tournament. However, Portugal’s campaign ended in disappointment after they were eliminated in the round of 16 by a 1-0 defeat to Spain, who later went on to win the title.
Martinez faced widespread criticism at the time for consistently selecting Ronaldo in the starting lineup while giving his replacement, Gonçalo Ramos, very limited playing time.
Speaking about Ronaldo at a press conference on Friday, Jesus said: “He is a player like the others. If he delivers the required performance, he plays; if he does not, he will not play.”
“He has a different status because his career is different. He has won five Ballon d’Or awards. But does that affect my decisions? No,” Jesus added.
Among the few notable changes in Jesus’ 25-man squad are the return of Borussia Dortmund forward Fabio Silva and Benfica midfielder João Palhinha.
The squad also includes Paris Saint-Germain players Vitinha, João Neves and Nuno Mendes.
Portugal won the Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025. They will begin the new edition by hosting Wales in Lisbon on Thursday, before traveling to Norway on September 27 and Denmark on October 1. They will then host Norway again on October 4 in Porto.
Portugal Squad
Goalkeepers:
Diogo Costa (Porto), Rui Silva (Sporting), Samuel Soares (Benfica).
Defenders:
Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting), João Cancelo (Barcelona), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Tavares (Lazio), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Rúben Dias (Manchester City), Tomás Araújo (Benfica).
Midfielders:
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), João Palhinha (Benfica), João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Rúben Neves (Al Hilal), Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid).
Forwards:
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Fabio Silva (Borussia Dortmund), Francisco Trincão (Al Ahli), Francisco Conceição (Juventus), Gonçalo Ramos (AC Milan), João Félix (Al Nassr), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Rafael Leão (Galatasaray).
