Four decades after his birth, 41-year-old Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has put an end to weeks of public uncertainty over his international football future: he is set to continue representing his nation, after being included in the first 25-man senior squad assembled by newly appointed Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo’s future with the Portuguese national side had been the subject of widespread debate since the team’s 2026 World Cup round-of-16 exit at the hands of eventual tournament champions Spain back in July. Following that disappointing defeat, the Al-Nassr striker, who had previously stated the Qatar 2022 World Cup would be his last international tournament and was visibly emotional in tears after the July elimination, declined to give a definitive answer on whether he would continue pulling on the Portugal jersey. When asked about his plans, he only noted that he would consult his family and make a decision after a period of quiet reflection. That ambiguity fueled widespread rumors that he could follow the path of his long-time rival Lionel Messi and step away from international competition.
This new call-up confirms those rumors were unfounded. Jesus, the 72-year-old coach who took over the Portugal job after Roberto Martinez stepped down in the wake of the World Cup exit, has a well-established working relationship with Ronaldo: the pair worked together at Al-Nassr last season, leading the Saudi club to its first Saudi Pro League title in seven years. Jesus opted to include the all-time leading men’s international goalscorer in his squad for four upcoming UEFA Nations League matches scheduled between September 24 and October 4.
If Ronaldo features in these upcoming fixtures, he will continue to extend his already unprecedented record as one of the oldest outfield players to compete at the top of international men’s football. He will turn 42 ahead of next summer’s Nations League finals, and would be 43 by the time UEFA Euro 2028 kicks off. The current record for the oldest player to feature at a European Championship is held by Ronaldo’s former Portugal teammate Pepe, who played his final Euro match in 2024 at 41 years and 130 days old.
Alongside Ronaldo, the 25-man squad includes a host of top Premier League-based talent: Manchester United defenders Diogo Dalot and midfielder Bruno Fernandes, Manchester City center-back Ruben Dias, and Chelsea winger Pedro Neto all earned call-ups for the crucial Nations League fixtures.
Portugal’s Nations League schedule kicks off with a home match against Wales on September 24 at 19:45 BST, followed by an away trip to face Norway three days later. The side will then travel to Denmark for a match on October 1, before returning to their home ground to host Norway for a rematch on October 4 to close out the opening set of group stage fixtures.