Cristiano Ronaldo’s international future is far from over — but Jorge Jesus, Portugal’s newly appointed head coach, has made it clear that the 41‑year‑old cannot expect a guaranteed place in the squad.
Jesus was named Portugal’s new manager on Friday, signing a four‑year contract that runs until the 2030 World Cup, which Portugal will co‑host with Spain and Morocco. He replaces Roberto Martínez, who stepped down after Portugal’s 1‑0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16 of this summer’s tournament — a result that left Ronaldo in tears. The five‑time Ballon d’Or winner later confirmed that this World Cup was his sixth and final, though he has made no official comment on retiring from international football altogether.
“Jorge Jesus appointed Portugal head coach; says he will pick Ronaldo 'within certain limits'.”
Speaking at his unveiling, Jesus — who coached Ronaldo for one season at Al Nassr, winning the Saudi Pro League — was unequivocal about the striker’s value. “Cris is a symbol of Portuguese football,” he said. “He will go down in history. It has been a great pleasure working with him. He is incredibly easy to work with.”
But Jesus also laid down conditions. “As long as he’s playing and is in a condition to be selected, I will pick him, within certain limits and under the conditions that I consider best for the national team,” he said. “Age doesn’t matter. Look at Cris. Under me, he used to cover eight kilometres per match, reaching speeds above 25km per hour.”
He added that he has not yet spoken to Ronaldo about his plans: “I need to speak with him to find out what he wants to do. He has always told me that he wants to finish his career at Al Nassr.” Ronaldo’s contract at the Saudi club runs until 2027.
The 71‑year‑old manager, who won a domestic treble with Al Hilal in 2023‑24 and three league titles with Benfica, also revealed he substituted Ronaldo 16 times in 50 games last season without any problems. “I have a big advantage here because 12 of the players called up for the World Cup have already worked with me,” he noted.
Jesus’s first match in charge will be Portugal’s Nations League opener against Wales on 24 September. Ronaldo’s sister sparked speculation during the tournament that the forward had already decided to retire this summer, but Jesus’s comments suggest the door remains open — albeit with clear limits.