Cristiano Ronaldo continues to make history as he has been selected for the Portugal national team for the UEFA Nations League 2026-2027. This marks an impressive 24 consecutive seasons that he has donned the national jersey. Coach Jorge Jesus announced Ronaldo's inclusion in the 25-player squad, which is preparing for the first four matches of the Nations League.

Despite being 41 years old and currently playing for Al Nassr, Ronaldo remains a key figure alongside other notable players such as Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Vitinha, and Rafael Leao. Ronaldo made his debut for the national team on August 20, 2003, at just 18 years old, coming off the bench in a match against Kazakhstan. Since then, he has become a central figure for Portugal, scoring 146 goals in 233 appearances, a record that stands unmatched.

Out of the 25 players selected, four did not participate in the 2026 World Cup: goalkeeper Samuel Soares, defender Nuno Tavares, midfielder Joao Palhinha, and forward Fabio Silva. Ronaldo is one of the 21 players who were part of the World Cup squad retained for this Nations League campaign. Coach Jesus emphasized that Ronaldo does not receive any special treatment in his selection process. He stated, "I don’t need to talk much with Ronaldo because he understands my ideas, and I understand his. We have worked together for a year."

Jesus clarified that Ronaldo, like any other player, must perform well to earn his place on the team: "If he plays well, he will play. If not, he won't. I treat everyone the same way." While acknowledging Ronaldo's legendary status, having won five Ballon d'Or awards, he insisted that past achievements do not dictate current selections.

When asked about Ronaldo's potential to score his 1,000th career goal for the national team, Jesus suggested that this milestone is more likely to be achieved while playing for Al Nassr rather than the national team, as Ronaldo needs 21 more goals to reach that landmark.

In addition to Ronaldo, Coach Jorge Jesus has called up several players he has previously coached, with 13 members of the squad having worked under him before. Portugal is placed in Group A4 of the Nations League 2026-2027, alongside Denmark, Norway, and Wales. Their first match is scheduled against Wales in Lisbon on September 24, followed by encounters with Norway and Denmark.

The Nations League features four groups in League A, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals. Portugal has a rich history in this tournament, having won the championship twice, in 2019 and 2025.

The full list of the 25 players selected for Portugal includes: Diogo Costa, Rui Silva, Samuel Soares, Joao Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Tomas Araujo, Renato Veiga, Goncalo Inacio, Nuno Mendes, Nuno Tavares, Joao Palhinha, Ruben Neves, Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bernardo Silva, Francisco Conceicao, Francisco Trincao, Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix, Cristiano Ronaldo, Goncalo Ramos, and Fabio Silva.