Ronaldo may be included in the Portuguese national team's bid for the League of Nations

Portugal national team head coach Jorge Jesus plans to include striker Cristiano Ronaldo in the list of players for the November League of Nations matches. This is reported by the Portuguese edition of A Bola.

The decision to call up the 41-year-old striker is being made against the background of a conflict that caused the player to leave the national team earlier. On Wednesday, September 30, Ronaldo announced his departure after Jesus' press conference, at which the coach refused to guarantee the player a place in the starting lineup for the upcoming games.

Causes of conflict

According to the FootyRoom publication, disagreements between the captain and the coach escalated on September 30, 2026, the day before the match against Denmark. The reason for the demarche was not only the public comments of the specialist, but also the situation in the previous meeting with Norway. In that game, the forward remained in the reserves, despite the fact that he was warming up and preparing to enter the field.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) released an official statement on September 30. According to Mundo Deportivo, the organization confirmed that Ronaldo had stopped training with the team, without specifying the details. The footballer himself has so far refrained from making detailed comments, promising to tell the fans the "truth" about the incident later. At the same time, the striker did not officially announce the end of his international career.

Attempts at reconciliation

Later, Jorge Jesus called the incident a "misunderstanding." The coach stressed that the striker remains a symbol of the national team and has the right to return to it at any time. According to the coach, the situation can be easily resolved if the player himself expresses a desire to continue playing for the national team.

The federation's leadership is currently taking steps to resolve the crisis. According to the Bola na Rede portal, FPF President Pedro Proenza plans to hold a personal meeting with Ronaldo and Jesus to coordinate the process of the captain's return to the squad.

At the same time, according to L'Equipe, the national federation is considering the possibility of organizing a special farewell match for the 41-year-old striker.

Future prospects

Ronaldo himself is aware of the upcoming offer. The coaching staff expects to see the striker in the application for the decisive matches of the group stage of the League of Nations. According to the tournament calendar, on November 14, the Portuguese will host the Danish national team in Braga, and on November 17 they will meet against the Welsh team.

Despite the active actions of the federation, the footballer is still considering the possibility of permanently leaving the national team. The Portuguese side hopes for a successful conclusion of negotiations before the start of the November training cycle, so that the striker can help the team in the final rounds of the competition.