Portugal coach Jesus says Ronaldo will be selected

Portugal's newly appointed national team manager, Jorge Jesus, affirmed on Friday that veteran striker Cristiano Ronaldo will "never be a problem" for the squad and will be selected if he wishes to continue his international career. The announcement came as the 71-year-old coach was formally unveiled as the successor to Roberto Martínez, who departed after Portugal's elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Jesus, who coached Ronaldo last season at Al Nassr where they won the Saudi Pro League title, made his stance clear during his introductory press conference. "I haven't spoken to Cristiano yet," Jesus told reporters. "He will never be a problem for the national team, or for me." He added that as long as Ronaldo is playing and in condition to be selected, he will call him up, within the limits and conditions he deems best for the team.

The future of the 41-year-old icon has been a central question since Portugal's tournament ended with a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16 earlier this month. Ronaldo confirmed before that match that the 2026 World Cup would be his last but stated he would not make any rash decisions regarding his overall international future. Following the...