Cristiano Ronaldo says he helped choose Jorge Jesus as Portugal manager

Cristiano Ronaldo says he played a part in the appointment of Jorge Jesus as Portugal manager and has revealed he reconsidered his decision to retire from international football after the 2026 World Cup.

The Portugal captain had planned to end his international career after the tournament, but says the president of the Portuguese Football Federation persuaded him to remain with the national team.

Ronaldo’s comments follow a major dispute with Jesus, which escalated after the forward was left on the bench for the entire match against Norway in the second round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.

Jesus subsequently said he was “the first and last decision-maker when it comes to selecting the team”. Ronaldo then surprised the squad by leaving Portugal’s training camp 24 hours before their third-round match against Denmark.

In a statement published by Spanish newspaper AS on Tuesday, Ronaldo said he had already prepared a farewell message for Portugal’s supporters.

“After the 2026 World Cup, I wrote a message to the Portuguese people, and I still have it, containing the words I want to address to them when I finally leave our national team,” he said.

The 2026 tournament had therefore been intended to mark the end of his international career. However, Ronaldo said that plan changed during the journey home from the United States.

“At the end of the tournament, specifically on the flight back from the United States, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation asked me – and insisted – that I reconsider my decision to retire internationally, because the federation wanted me to continue,” he added.

Ronaldo also said the federation president consulted him about the identity of the next manager, while considering other candidates whose names were not disclosed to him.

“Immediately afterwards, he asked for my opinion on the name of the current national team manager, whom he was considering alongside other names he did not reveal to me,” Ronaldo said.

“I replied that, in my view, I believed it would be the right decision.”

Jesus was appointed Portugal manager on a contract running until 2030 in July, replacing Roberto Martinez. Martinez was dismissed after Portugal were eliminated in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Ronaldo said he welcomed the decision when Jesus was formally presented as the new manager.

“Therefore, on the day they presented the current manager, I felt genuinely happy with the choice,” he said. “It was the right decision, as the results confirm.”