Cristiano Ronaldo told us the 2026 World Cup was his last. Then Jorge Jesus named him in his first Portugal squad anyway. Retirement, it seems, will have to wait.
The 41-year-old is part of a 25-man group selected for Portugal's upcoming Nations League fixtures — home to Wales on September 24, then trips to Norway and Denmark before hosting Norway again on October 4. Jesus, who coached Ronaldo at Al-Nassr last season as they won the Saudi Pro League title, has wasted no time leaning on a familiar face.
The Messi comparison that didn't happen
When Lionel Messi retired from Argentina last month, the assumption was that Ronaldo would follow. The two have shadowed each other for two decades — why stop now? But Ronaldo has always moved on his own terms, not anyone else's, and he's not ready to let someone else write the ending.
That stubbornness has a complicated relationship with results. His performances at the 2026 World Cup drew real criticism — reduced mobility, zero defensive contribution — and Portugal still went home earlier than expected. Jesus inherited a squad that needs a tactical identity, and building it around a 41-year-old who can no longer press or track back is a genuine constraint, not a footnote.
Still, 146 international goals and the distinction of scoring at six separate World Cups buys you a squad place. Few coaches would be the one to make the call that ends it.
What this means for Portugal's Nations League odds
Jesus is a manager known for direct, attacking football — Ronaldo fits that template on paper, even at this stage. But Portugal's ceiling in this Nations League group will depend on how Jesus balances nostalgia with practicality. Wales, Norway, and Denmark aren't pushovers, and sides that press high will test a frontline built around a player who no longer covers ground the way he once did.
If Ronaldo plays at Euro 2028, he'll be 43. That's not a milestone. That's an entirely different conversation — one Portugal haven't had yet, but probably should.
