Settled
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Portugal coach Jorge Jesus says Ronaldo can return to national team if he wants
In short
Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus said Cristiano Ronaldo can return to the national team if he chooses, after Portugal beat Norway 2-1 to secure a Nations League quarter-final place. Ronaldo left the squad on Sept. 30 local time after being left out of the starting lineup, and the coach said the decision on a return is Ronaldo’s. Portugal’s next squad call-up is in November.
Why it matters
The coach leaving the door open means Ronaldo’s international career may not be over, even though Portugal has won every match it played without him and has already reached the Nations League quarter-finals. Because Jesus said the decision rests with Ronaldo, the squad’s next call-up in November is the next point at which his future with the team could be settled.
Key facts
- Jorge Jesus said Ronaldo can return to the Portugal national team if he wants to. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Jesus said Ronaldo could be called up for the next squad if he is playing for Al Nassr, and that he would talk with him before the November call-up. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Jesus said the decision on returning belongs to Ronaldo. [ 1 ]
- Ronaldo was left out of the starting lineup twice in a row during the September–October international window and left the squad. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Ronaldo holds the world records of 234 caps and 146 goals for Portugal. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Portugal beat Norway 2-1 and won its first four Nations League group matches, becoming the first team to secure a quarter-final place. [ 1 ]
- Portugal won all three matches it played without Ronaldo. [ 1 ]
- Portugal’s next national team call-up is in November. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus said Ronaldo can return to the national team if he wants to. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Jesus said he would speak with Ronaldo before the next call-up and that the decision is Ronaldo’s. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Ronaldo left the Portugal squad after being excluded from the starting lineup. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Ronaldo was on the bench without playing for Portugal for the first time since 2008. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Ronaldo has 234 caps and 146 goals for Portugal. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Portugal beat Norway 2-1 and secured a Nations League quarter-final place. [ 1 ]
- Portugal’s next squad call-up is in November. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The exact circumstances and timing of Ronaldo’s departure from the squad. Yonhap says he left on Sept. 30 local time after the coach said he would not start him against Denmark, while the Chosun Ilbo summary says he left during training; a third account says he released himself from the call-up.
- Whether Ronaldo will actually return to the national team. The coach said the decision is Ronaldo’s, and no decision by the player is reported in the documents.
- What Ronaldo meant by promising to tell ‘the truth’ about why he left the team. His social media post is quoted but no details are given in the documents.
What local media are saying
Official sourcesYonhap, the state-affiliated wire, carried the fullest account, giving the coach’s quotes in full along with match context, Ronaldo’s records and his social media post, and teammate Joao Cancelo’s reaction.
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Business mediaBusiness-outlet coverage led on the coach’s remark about a possible return, framing Ronaldo’s exit as a controversy and adding that he released himself from the call-up, that opinions are split over whether he should still play, and that the next call-up is in November; one summary said he left during training.
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Timeline, local time
- Yonhap reports Jorge Jesus saying Ronaldo can return to the national team if he wants, after Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway secured a Nations League quarter-final place; it says Ronaldo left the squad on Sept. 30 local time. [ 1 ]
- Newsis publishes a headline reporting the coach’s remark that Ronaldo can return to the national team if he wants. [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo, citing Al Jazeera, reports Jesus left the door open for a return and that Portugal’s next call-up is in November. [ 3 ]
- The Chosun Ilbo summary reports Ronaldo left the team during training and cites the BBC on the coach’s remark. [ 4 ]