Jorge Jesus keeps Portugal door open for Cristiano Ronaldo after Norway win

Jorge Jesus says Cristiano Ronaldo can return to Portugal whenever he wants, after insisting the captain’s international future is entirely in his own hands.

The Portugal manager said Ronaldo’s departure from the team’s camp in Copenhagen during the current international break was not a serious issue, describing it as a “misunderstanding” that could be resolved easily.

Jesus was speaking after Portugal beat Norway 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League. Despite Ronaldo leaving the camp before the match, the manager made clear that the route back into the squad remained open.

“I don’t know what will happen. For me, everything is possible,” Jesus told RTP. “It is up to Cris to decide his future. If he is playing and wants to join the national team for the next call-up, why not?

“There is no resentment. It was simply a misunderstanding and, in my opinion, it is easy to resolve.”

Jesus said he did not know when the situation would be addressed, adding that discussions would only take place after Portugal’s match had finished.

“When will I resolve it? I don’t know,” he said. “The match has ended, and only after that will we know how things will develop.”

His comments represent a clear indication that Ronaldo has not been ruled out of future Portugal squads, even though he left the camp before the meeting with Norway.

Jesus also praised what he described as an ideal start to his time in charge of the national team. The victory over Norway was his fourth in as many matches since taking over.

“Four matches, four wins,” Jesus said. “It is a run I perhaps did not expect when I started, regardless of how much I believed in this team.”

The manager said the most important objective against Norway had been to secure victory and confirm Portugal’s place in the next stage of the competition. He acknowledged that the game had not been as difficult as the previous match against Denmark, but stressed the strength of his squad and its ability to achieve its targets.

Portugal will now wait for the final two matches before Jesus decides on his next selection, with Ronaldo’s availability and desire to return set to remain central to that decision.