Jorge Jesus, the new head coach of the Portugal national football team, has made it clear that Cristiano Ronaldo will not pose any issues for the squad. Jesus expressed his intention to include Ronaldo in the team if the legendary forward decides to continue his international career.

Ronaldo's future with the national team is currently in question after Portugal's disappointing exit from the World Cup, where they were defeated 1-0 by Spain in the round of 16. This loss marked the end of Roberto Martínez's tenure as head coach. Ronaldo, who will be 45 by the time the 2030 World Cup arrives, has previously indicated that this year's tournament would be his last, although he has not ruled out the possibility of playing until at least Euro 2028.

During his presentation, Jesus addressed the criticism surrounding Ronaldo's role in the national team, stating, "Cristiano will never be a problem for the national team, nor for me." He emphasized the importance of communication, saying he plans to discuss Ronaldo's future with him and the other players individually. "Cristiano is a symbol of Portugal. He will go down in history, and I have had great pleasure working with him. It is very easy to work with him," Jesus added.

Despite the controversies surrounding Ronaldo's performance during the World Cup, where he played 441 minutes—second only to defender Renato Veiga—Jesus assured that there would be no pressure to include him in the squad. He noted that last season, he substituted Ronaldo in 13 out of 30 matches while at Al-Nassr, where Ronaldo averaged 87 minutes per game across all competitions.

Jesus further stated, "Egos exist in all teams. It is more challenging to work with those who think they are great players than with those who are genuinely good players." He believes that the current Portugal team is not aging, with an average age of 28, and anticipates the emergence of new talent in the coming years.

If Ronaldo chooses to continue playing, he will be part of a leadership group that includes Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rúben Dias, and Diogo Dalot. Jesus mentioned, "Regarding the captains, there are five: Cristiano, Bernardo, Bruno, Rúben, and Diogo. I don’t know the order. The captain is much more than just seniority; they embody the coach's philosophy."

Jesus's first matches in charge will take place during the Nations League, with Portugal set to face Norway (twice), Wales, and Denmark in an extended international window at the end of September and early October.