Jorge Jesus names first Portugal squad with Ronaldo and four new faces

Jorge Jesus has named his first 25-man Portugal squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches, keeping Cristiano Ronaldo as captain and introducing four new faces. The selection marks the start of his tenure following Portugal's round-of-16 exit at the 2026 World Cup.

The team, currently second in World Cup qualifying with 5 points from 3 games, begins its Nations League Group A4 campaign against Wales on September 24 in Lisbon. Jesus, 72, succeeds Roberto Martínez after the 1-0 defeat to Spain on July 6, a loss that ended Portugal's tournament hopes.

Ronaldo's role

Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, retains his place and the captain's armband. The forward confirmed in July that the 2026 World Cup was his last and suggested in August the upcoming season would likely be his final professional year. Jesus made it clear the player's status does not guarantee a starting spot. "His performance is what matters. The past doesn't count," the manager said. "Cristiano Ronaldo has a different status because of everything he has won, the titles and Ballon d'Or awards."

Jesus noted that 13 of the called-up players have worked with him before, with Borussia Dortmund striker Fábio Silva being the only exception among the newcomers. The manager said Silva earned his call-up because he offers different qualities to Portugal's other attacking options.

Selections and omissions

The coach also defended the inclusion of Gonçalo Inácio and Rafael Leão, two players whose recent form has been questioned. "It's not my opinion that Gonçalo Inácio is not playing well." Jesus stated. "The same applies to Rafael Leão."

Left out from the World Cup squad were goalkeeper José Sá, defender Nélson Semedo, defender Matheus Nunes, midfielder Samu Costa and forward Gonçalo Guedes. The team will then travel to Oslo to face Norway on September 27, before visiting Denmark in Copenhagen on October 1. The first international window concludes with a home match against Norway on October 4 at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto.

Portugal, who won the inaugural Nations League in 2019 and lifted the trophy again in 2025, will complete the group stage in November with an away match in Wales and a home fixture against Denmark. The top two teams in Group A4 advance to the quarter-finals in March, while the third-placed side enters a relegation play-off. The team finishing fourth is automatically relegated. The loss to Spain snapped a five-match unbeaten run that included two wins and two draws. The next challenge is to start the new Jesus era on the right foot, with the manager stating he has adapted easily to international football and has not spoken to his predecessor since taking charge on July 9.

This story first appeared at heraldnews.com