Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41 years young, is officially back on Portugal’s squad for the upcoming Nations League games. This bombshell announcement came straight from new coach Jorge Jesus on Friday. We all heard Ronaldo say this summer’s World Cup was his final dance on that massive stage, but the global superstar hasn’t uttered a peep about when he plans to call it quits from international play. Let’s be real, he will be 43 by the time the 2028 European Championship rolls around. You really think he is going to hang up those legendary boots before then?
A New Era and a Familiar Face at the Helm
This is the very first squad named by Jesus, who just stepped into the head coach role. He took over after Spain ousted Portugal from the World Cup in a brutal 1-0 loss during the round of 16. That defeat sent Roberto Martinez packing, paving the way for Jesus to take the reins. What’s even crazier? Jesus previously coached Ronaldo at his club, Al-Nassr, in Saudi Arabia. They literally just won the league together last season! So, there is a serious history there, a shared triumph, and a built-in understanding. The 72-year-old Jesus is no stranger to top-tier coaching either, with stints at big Portuguese clubs like Benfica and Sporting Lisbon under his belt. He knows the game, and he definitely knows Ronaldo.
“Different Status” But No Special Treatment?
Coach Jesus was pretty blunt about Ronaldo’s role in the squad. He stated, “all the called-up players are at my disposal.” He then laid out his philosophy: “If he performs well, he plays. If he doesn’t perform well, he doesn’t play. That’s how I treat everyone.” Straightforward, right? But then came the kicker. Jesus added a caveat, admitting, “Now, does Cris have a different status? Yes. His career is different.” He then pointed to the five Ballon d’Or awards. Yet, he insisted this does not influence his decisions: “It doesn’t influence anything, zero, but he is different from the others.” You gotta wonder, how does that work in practice? Ronaldo is the leading scorer in men’s international soccer with a mind-blowing 146 goals, and he helped Portugal snag the 2016 Euros title. He is also currently chasing 1,000 career goals, sitting at 979.
The 1,000-Goal Chase and What’s Next for Portugal
Here is where it gets spicy. When asked if he could picture Ronaldo hitting that insane 1,000-goal milestone, Jesus sounded seriously doubtful it would happen with Portugal. He said, “I think he’s more likely to score his thousandth goal for Al-Nassr than for the Portuguese national team.” Woah. That is a direct shot right there! The coach of the national team openly doubting his star player will reach a historic personal achievement with the squad? That’s some high-stakes drama to kick off Jesus’s tenure. Portugal is set to open the Nations League by hosting Wales on September 24. They then hit the road to play Norway away three days later, followed by a match in Denmark on October 1. They will wrap up this stretch by hosting Norway on October 4. Get ready, because it looks like this Nations League run is going to be must-watch television!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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