Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed he will continue his international career under new head manager Jorge Jesus ahead of their UEFA Nations League title defence opener against Wales at Estádio José Alvalade. At 41 years old, Ronaldo stated that he remains committed to representing his country and believes he is capable of offering more to the national team.
The forward currently has 979 goals in his career, including 146 international goals with Portugal, according to data published by the Portuguese Football Federation. Ronaldo revealed his goals are to help Portugal retain the Nations League title and to reach the milestone of 1,000 career goals, expressing a wish to achieve that historic milestone in the national team’s jersey rather than with Saudi club Al Nassr. He emphasized that he does not view reaching 1,000 goals as an obsession, but prefers to focus on enjoying each day and helping the team.
Future Plans and Leadership Under Jorge Jesus
Ronaldo explained that his international future had been a topic of discussion following the World Cup before conversations with the Portuguese Football Federation and Jorge Jesus convinced him to continue. Jesus takes charge of his first official match as Portugal manager against Wales, succeeding Roberto Martinez as the team enters the tournament as holders following their 2025 triumph. The fixture takes place on Thursday in Group 4 of League A, which also includes Norway and Denmark.
While addressing his broader career, Ronaldo left the door open regarding potential participation in Euro 2028, noting that he prefers to take his career step-by-step and focus on the present rather than making long-term decisions. He stated that his continuation is based on ongoing contributions, noting that his role extends beyond scoring goals to using his extensive experience to help younger players as a new generation enters the squad. He stressed that playing for his country is a source of pride and passion, and that his on-field performance must remain the primary standard rather than his name or past history.
