Cristiano Ronaldo has been called up for Portugal's upcoming Nations League fixtures, quelling speculation that the veteran forward might step away from international duty. The 41-year-old features in the inaugural 25-man squad announced by new head coach Jorge Jesus, marking a fresh chapter for the national team following its World Cup exit in the summer.
Ronaldo's international future had been thrown into question after Portugal were eliminated from the World Cup in the round of 16, falling to eventual champions Spain. In the aftermath of that defeat, the Al-Nassr striker declined to commit to continuing his Portugal career, telling reporters he would "meet the family and take decisions with a calm head" before deciding on his next steps. The forward, who had already declared this year's tournament to be his final World Cup, appeared visibly emotional following the loss, fueling talk that he might follow the example of his longtime rival Lionel Messi and walk away from national team football altogether.
Those doubts have now been put to rest, at least for the immediate future, with Ronaldo's name appearing on Jesus' first team sheet since taking charge. The 72-year-old coach replaces Roberto Martinez, who departed the role after Portugal's World Cup campaign came to an end. Jesus and Ronaldo are no strangers to working together, having combined at club level with Al-Nassr last season, where they guided the Saudi outfit to their first Saudi Pro League title in seven years.
Ronaldo's continued presence in the squad means he will extend an already remarkable international career well into his forties. He will turn 42 by the time next summer's Nations League finals take place, and would be 43 should he still be involved at Euro 2028. Should he feature at that tournament, he would surpass the record currently held by his former Portugal teammate Pepe, who became the oldest player in European Championship history at 41 years and 130 days during Euro 2024.
Jesus has also included a strong contingent of Premier League talent alongside Ronaldo. Manchester United duo Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes both retain their places, while Manchester City's Ruben Dias and Chelsea's Pedro Neto round out a squad blending experience with established quality.
The selection sets the stage for a busy period for Portugal, who face four matches in the Nations League across a ten-day window. The campaign begins at home against Wales on 24 September, before Jesus' side travel to face Norway just three days later. Portugal will then head to Denmark for a fixture on 1 October, before returning home to close out the group of matches with a second meeting against Norway on 4 October.
For Ronaldo, the run of fixtures offers an early opportunity to build a relationship with his new international manager while continuing to add to his extensive record of caps and goals for the national side. With his club form at Al-Nassr remaining a key factor in his continued involvement, all eyes will be on how Jesus utilizes his talismanic forward as Portugal look toward the Nations League finals and beyond.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.