Ronaldo Jr set for Portugal Under-17 debut as father eyes international return

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr has received his first call-up to the Portugal Under-17 squad, creating a possible opportunity for him to share the national-team environment with his father later this month.

The 16-year-old has been named by manager Filipe Ramos in a 23-player group for Portugal’s European Championship qualifying matches in November. Ronaldo Jr has previously represented his country at Under-15 and Under-16 level.

He continues to develop at the academy of Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, where his father plays for the senior team.

Portugal Under-17 will play three qualification matches in Lisbon. They face Andorra on 11 November, Bulgaria on 14 November and Serbia on 17 November.

The schedule could give Ronaldo Jr the chance to meet his father at Portugal’s training base if the senior Ronaldo is selected by manager Jorge Jesus for the national team’s matches against Denmark and Wales on 14 and 17 November respectively, in the Nations League.

Ronaldo’s suspension and 1,000-goal pursuit

The Portuguese Football Federation imposed a 30-day suspension on Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, after he left the national-team camp during last month’s Nations League campaign.

The forward is continuing his pursuit of 1,000 career goals after taking his tally to 985 with a hat-trick for Al Nassr last week.

However, Ronaldo was left out of Al Nassr’s squad for Monday’s AFC Champions League Elite match against their opponents from Uzbekistan. Reports linked the decision to rest him with security concerns and the impact of the situation in the region on Asian competitions.

Ronaldo remains the men’s record goalscorer in international football, having scored 143 goals in 225 appearances for Portugal. He continues to be one of the most prominent figures in the country’s football history.

Portugal Under-17’s November schedule begins against Andorra on 11 November in the European Under-17 Championship qualifiers. The senior side’s Nations League programme then sees Denmark visit Portugal on 14 November, before the meeting with Wales on 17 November.