Jorge Jesus Takes Portugal Reins with Ronaldo Central to Plans
Portugal have turned to one of their most seasoned tacticians for the next World Cup cycle, handing Jorge Jesus a four-year deal that runs through to the 2030 tournament the country will co-host with Spain and Morocco.
The 71-year-old steps into a role vacated by Roberto Martinez after Portugal’s stinging exit in the last 16 this summer, a 1-0 defeat to Spain that cut short a campaign many inside the camp believed could go far deeper.
A familiar face, a long road
Jesus is no left-field choice. He is Portuguese, decorated, and knows the country’s biggest star as well as anyone at international level could hope to.
He worked with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr during a one-year spell in Saudi Arabia, the pair winning the Saudi Pro League title last season. That experience, and the respect that clearly flowed both ways, has given the new national coach a powerful starting point in a dressing room still shaped by Ronaldo’s presence.
This World Cup was Ronaldo’s sixth and, as he confirmed after Portugal’s elimination, his last. It was not, however, a retirement announcement. His contract at Al Nassr runs to 2027, and his international future remains a live question.
Jesus did not dodge it.
Ronaldo remains “a symbol”
Speaking on Friday, the new Portugal boss described the 41-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner as a “symbol of Portuguese football” and made it plain that age alone will not close the door.
“As long as he’s playing and is in a condition to be selected, I will pick him, within certain limits and under the conditions that I consider best for the national team,” Jesus said.
He underlined that there will be no power struggle, no circus.
“I haven’t spoken with [Ronaldo] yet. [He] is never going to be a problem for the national team. Not for the national team, nor for me. I had great pleasure working with him this past year, [it’s] easy to work with him.”
For a squad in transition, the message was clear: Ronaldo stays in the conversation, but on Jesus’ terms.
From club treble to national task
Jesus arrives off the back of more silverware. He won a domestic treble with Al Hilal in the 2023-24 season, another line on a CV already thick with trophies.
In Portugal, his name is long since established. During his first spell at Benfica, he delivered three league titles, in 2010, 2014 and 2015, and built sides that dominated domestically and competed deep into European campaigns.
His reach extended across the Atlantic as well. At Flamengo, he turned a one-year stay into a whirlwind of success, lifting five major trophies in 2019, including the Brazilian title and the Copa Libertadores. That season in Rio hardened his reputation as a coach who can handle pressure, expectation and star-studded squads.
Now he inherits a national team that has grown used to major-tournament football, yet still chases a second global breakthrough after Euro 2016.
A new cycle begins in the Nations League
The first glimpse of Jesus’ Portugal will come quickly. His debut on the touchline is set for 24 September, when Portugal open their Nations League Group D campaign against Wales.
By then, the questions will already be loud. How much of Martinez’s structure does he keep? How quickly does he turn towards the next generation? And, of course, how central does Ronaldo remain on the pitch, not just in the narrative?
What is certain is the scale of the horizon. In four years’ time, Portugal will host World Cup games on home soil, sharing the stage with Spain and Morocco. Jesus has been given the mandate, and the time, to shape a team worthy of that stage.
The clock to 2030 has started.
