Portugal FA pledges to honour Cristiano Ronaldo as Jorge Jesus names squad

What the report says

Portugal’s football federation says it will honour Cristiano Ronaldo after the 41-year-old forward announced his international retirement on social media, ending a Portugal career that spanned 234 appearances and 146 goals. The announcement came on Thursday, and the federation’s tribute was discussed as coach Jorge Jesus named his first squad since Ronaldo’s departure.

Portuguese FA president Pedro Proenca said the organisation would recognise Ronaldo’s impact on Portuguese football and celebrate his legacy. However, the article notes that it was not yet clear whether Ronaldo would take part in any farewell appearance. The timing also brought renewed attention to the dispute that preceded his exit from the national team.

Jesus selected seven new players, including five from the under-21 setup, for Portugal’s November Nations League matches against Wales and Denmark. Questions about Ronaldo dominated the press conference, with Jesus saying his choices were made for the good of the team and that he had not contacted Ronaldo after the retirement announcement. Al Jazeera reported that Ronaldo had left Portugal’s camp without permission in September before a match against Denmark and later pointed to broken promises from Jesus as the reason for his departure.

The episode matters because Ronaldo has been central to Portugal’s recent football era, while his retirement and the federation’s planned tribute mark a transition for the national side as it enters a new squad cycle.