Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus said on Sunday that their veteran forward can decide if he wants to return to the national team. Ronaldo left the national camp after he was an unused substitute during Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway in their UEFA Nations League clash in Oslo last week.
“If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team. We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide. Cristiano should end his time in the national team the way he wants; he’s the one who will decide how he wants it,” told journalists in Porto after Portugal clinched a 2-1 win over Norway in the return leg of their tie.
The win against Norway helped Portugal seal their place in the quarterfinals.
Jesus recalled an important message he had conveyed to Ronaldo when he called him up for the first time. Jesus and Ronaldo previously worked together at Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, when he was the manager there.
“In my first call-up, I said, ‘I need you, I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you’. And now I’m saying the same thing,” the 72-year-old said.
suffered a round-of-16 exit at the FIFA World Cup 2026 earlier this year after a 1-0 loss to the now defending champions, Spain. Ronaldo ended the campaign with three goals, including one in the round of 32 stage against Croatia.
Ronaldo, Portugal’s all-time top scorer with 146 goals, took to social media to say he would explain the reasons for leaving the national camp.
“After the press conference of the National Team coach, and following a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I decided to leave the National Team camp.
“In due time, I will tell all the Portuguese about the reasons that motivated my departure from the national team, which I always dedicated myself to. Now it’s time to wish good luck to Portugal and all my teammates, without exception,” he wrote on Instagram after exiting the Portugal camp.
Portugal are on top of Group 4 in UEFA Nations League A with 12 points from four matches. Portugal will next take on Denmark in Braga on 14 November before signing off the group stage with a match against Wales in Cardiff four days later.
