Portugal boss Jorge Jesus leaves Ronaldo tribute to federation

Jorge Jesus says the Portuguese Football Federation should take responsibility for any tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo before Portugal’s Nations League meeting with Denmark.

The Portugal manager was speaking ahead of the match at Braga Municipal Stadium on 14 November 2026, with his side already through to the Nations League quarter-finals.

Portugal need only one point to secure top spot in Group A of League A, but much of the pre-match discussion has centred on plans to honour Ronaldo.

“That is the responsibility of the Portuguese Football Federation, specifically its football and sports departments, together with the federation president,” Jesus said.

“I think it is a wonderful idea. No-one can forget the 23 years Cristiano spent with the national team, what he contributed and what he represented in football, both for Portugal and for the other clubs he played for.”

Jesus worked with Ronaldo for a year and said the forward’s influence extends beyond the current squad.

“I did not work with Cristiano for only one week; I spent a whole year with him, so I know how important he is,” he added. “He is important not only to the new players, but also to young people all over the world.”

Jesus said Ronaldo would remain a legend of Portuguese football and welcomed the idea of continuing to recognise his contribution.

“I think it is a great idea that we continue not to forget that he is a legend of Portuguese football,” he said. “I no longer know what will happen. Only he knows.”

Portugal will face Denmark without Ronaldo, leaving Jesus to assess alternative attacking options in Gustavo Varela and Fabio Silva.

“The two players have different characteristics,” said Jesus. “Gustavo Varela is a genuine striker and is quite similar to Goncalo Ramos.

“Fabio has a greater ability to move around and knows how to lead an attack on his own. As I said, he often plays as a second striker for Borussia Dortmund, which is why we selected him in the initial squad. We saw that he offered characteristics different from Cristiano and Goncalo Ramos.”

Both players are still adapting to international football, while Jesus is also learning how best to use them.

“They are still adjusting to the national team, and I am also getting to know them and adapting to their abilities,” he said. “Working with them here is different from the work of the Borussia Dortmund manager, who knows his players better than I do. That is normal.”

Jesus highlighted Varela’s form in Italy, saying he was having a good season and was the league’s leading scorer in one of Europe’s five strongest domestic competitions.

The manager also accepted that he would face scrutiny if Portugal’s results declined in Ronaldo’s absence.

“The manager is always one of the main focuses of attention,” Jesus said. “When it comes to Portugal, a team with high-level players, failing to achieve our objectives will put us under pressure.”

He added that reaching the World Cup final was an expectation Bernardo Silva had already discussed.

“Winning is different from simply reaching the final, but we have to get there,” said Jesus. “Portugal have won the European Championship before, so the national team always plays to win.”

He concluded: “In recent years of my coaching career, I have become used to leading teams that are expected to win trophies. If the trophies are not won, the manager becomes the focus of criticism and takes responsibility for the negative aspects.”