Jorge Jesus says Cristiano Ronaldo can be recalled for next international break if he chooses to return

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus said on October 5, 2026 that he is prepared to recall Cristiano Ronaldo to the national squad for the next international break, adding that the decision rests with the 41-year-old after a dispute that followed Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway.

Ronaldo left the Portugal camp this week after a disagreement with Jesus, who had promised the forward he would come on as a substitute in that 2-1 home victory but instead the player remained unused and “stormed down the tunnel” at the end of the match. A few days after a meeting with the head of the Portuguese football federation, Ronaldo departed the national team camp aboard a private plane. Goncalo Ramos, who replaced Ronaldo in the match, scored in consecutive games, and the result took Jesus’ record to four victories from four matches in charge.

Following the Norway game, Jesus addressed Ronaldo’s immediate future and placed the ball in the player’s court, saying: “Cristiano Ronaldo will be called up for the next international break, if he wants to return. It’s his decision. I am ready to call him if he will play with Al Nassr”.

In a social media post, Ronaldo promised to ‘give the truth to all the Portuguese people’ about why he left the national team. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is scheduled to return to play when Al-Nassr defend their championship against Al-Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League on Friday night.

Portugal’s next fixtures are at home against Denmark on November 14 before travelling to Wales three days later, and teammates will be eager to see whether Ronaldo chooses to rejoin the national setup.