Portugal manager Jorge Jesus
\n Portugal coach Jorge Jesus is disappointed Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international duty but concedes he has to accept the captain\u2019s decision.
\nRonaldo, who fell out with Jorge Jesus in the last international window over a lack of playing time, announced on Thursday his retirement from the national team after 23 years of service.
\nJorge Jesus, who also coached Ronaldo at Al Nassr, told Canal 11: \u201cIt\u2019s entirely his decision.\u201d
\nRonaldo\u2019s announcement came one day before Jorge Jesus was to name the squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League games against Denmark and in Wales.
\nJorge Jesus took over the national team following Portugal\u2019s round of 16 exit at the 2026 World Cup and said he spoke with Ronaldo in September about the 41-year-old\u2019s future in the national team.
\n\u201cWe had the chance to talk about this before the first squad announcement [in September before the fallout],\u201d he said.
\nRonaldo\u2019s decision comes just after the Portugal captain served a 30-day suspension for walking out on the national team in the previous international window after a fallout with Jorge Jesus.<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked him to stay on with me because I needed him by my side. But I have to accept his decision.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Al Nassr forward played his last game for Portugal on Sept. 24, a 1-0 win over Wales in a Nations League game in Lisbon. He was an unused sub for the first time in 18 years for Portugal in a 2-1 win in Norway on Oct. 4.
\nAlthough Ronaldo apologised to his teammates for walking out and expressed his desire to continue playing for the national team, he did not do so to Jorge Jesus.
\nJorge Jesus, who guided Ronaldo win his first Saudi Pro League title last season at Al Nassr, paid tribute to the player\u2019s legacy.
\n\u201cI had the chance to spend a year working with him at Al Nassr,\u201d he said. \u201cCris is a global icon, a Portuguese icon, and an icon of the national team.\u201d
\nRonaldo captained Portugal to Euro 2016 glory, and to the inaugural UEFA Nations League trophy three years later and again in 2025. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star has 146 goals in 234 games for Portugal, making him the leading men\u2019s international goal scorer and appearance maker.
\n\u201cHe is a player who has given so much to the national team over the years,\u201d Jorge Jesus said. \u201cHe will always be an icon of our national team, of our people, and of our history. He will always have a place in the hearts of the Portuguese people and in the national team. \u201cThere\u2019s no getting round it, because he will always be a legend of Portuguese football.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Portugal manager Jorge Jesus Portugal coach Jorge Jesus is disappointed Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international duty but concedes he has to accept the captain\u2019s decision. Ronaldo, who fell out with Jorge Jesus in the last international window over a lack of playing time, announced on Thursday his retirement from the national team after 23 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-576429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n