By Oscar Okhifo
Portugal coach Jorge Jesus has said Cristiano Ronaldo remains eligible for selection and can return to the national team if he wants, following the forward’s abrupt departure from the squad amid renewed uncertainty over his international future.
Jesus spoke after Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway, saying Ronaldo could be recalled for the team’s next international assignment if he remains fit and available.
“For me, Cris, in the next call-up, if he’s playing at Al-Nassr, he’ll be a player who can be called up,” Jesus said.
“If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team.”
Jesus, who previously coached Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, said he was prepared to discuss the situation with the 41-year-old before the next international window.
“If he wants to, as we did before this call-up, we talked before the call-up; we can talk before the next call-up,” he said.
“But Cris is the one who’s going to decide.”
Ronaldo’s latest departure followed a disagreement over his involvement in Portugal’s Nations League campaign.
The forward started Portugal’s opening match against Wales on September 24 but was substituted. Four days later, he was named among the substitutes for the 2-1 victory over Norway and remained on the bench throughout the match.
Jesus later explained that he had considered bringing Ronaldo on for about 30 minutes but changed his plans as the game progressed.
The situation escalated ahead of Portugal’s next match against Denmark, when Jesus told reporters that Ronaldo would not start. He, however, denied that there was a serious rift between them.
Ronaldo arrived at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium with the squad but did not join his teammates for training.
The Portuguese Football Federation subsequently confirmed that Ronaldo had left the training camp, with reports indicating that he departed in a federation vehicle following Jesus’ press conference.
Ronaldo later announced on social media that he had decided to leave the national-team camp after Jesus’ press conference and a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.
He said he would explain the reasons for his decision “in due course” while wishing Portugal and his teammates well.
Portugal went on to defeat Denmark 4-2 without Ronaldo before beating Norway 2-1 to maintain a perfect Nations League record and secure qualification for the quarter-finals.
Ronaldo’s departure has raised fresh questions over whether he has played his final game for Portugal, particularly after he previously indicated that 2026 would “probably” be his final year in professional football.
Following the last World Cup, there was also pressure on the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to retire from international football. Ronaldo, however, made it clear that he would decide when to end his career.
“I will retire when I want, not when you want,” he said at the time.
His then partner and now wife, Georgina Rodríguez, publicly defended him during the period of criticism, while Ronaldo’s fans also rallied behind the veteran forward and rejected calls for him to end his international career.
Ronaldo subsequently continued to represent Portugal and remains the country’s all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 international appearances.
Jesus has now made clear that Ronaldo’s departure does not necessarily mark the end of his international career, insisting that the player should determine how and when his Portugal journey ends.
“Cristiano should end his time in the national team the way he wants; he’s the one who will decide how he wants it,” Jesus said.
“That’s how we talked, the two of us. I said, ‘I need you’. 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.”
Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes has also dismissed suggestions of divisions within the squad over Ronaldo.
“There are no divisions in the national team. It is one and will remain so, despite any noise that may come from outside,” Fernandes said.
Fernandes described Ronaldo as the biggest icon of Portuguese football and called for respect for the veteran forward.
The president of the Portuguese Football Federation has similarly indicated that Ronaldo remains part of the team’s plans, describing the episode as a misunderstanding and stressing that the forward’s place in the national team should be determined by sporting merit.
For now, however, the decision rests with Ronaldo.
Portugal’s next Nations League fixtures are against Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17, leaving Jesus with the prospect of welcoming the veteran forward back if he chooses to return.
After more than two decades with the national team, Ronaldo’s future with Portugal is once again in his own hands.