Cristiano Ronaldo has been included in Portugal’s preliminary squad for the November Nations League matches, raising the possibility of his return following a clash with manager Jorge Jesus.
The Portuguese Football Federation has confirmed that the 41-year-old forward is among the players who could return to the squad for the matches against Denmark and Wales, scheduled for November 14 and 17.
Head coach Jorge Jesus will announce the final squad on November 6.
Ronaldo unexpectedly left Portugal’s training camp on September 30, during the opening matches of the Nations League qualifying campaign. He subsequently accused the manager of failing to keep his promise to give him playing time.
The dispute between the two intensified further after Ronaldo claimed that the coach had failed to mention, during a press conference, some of the points they had agreed upon before the match against Denmark.
Last week, the federation announced that Ronaldo had been suspended for 30 days because of his departure from the squad. However, the suspension was calculated to include days that had already passed, meaning he will be eligible to return at the end of this week.
The Portuguese superstar apologised to the fans in early October and stated that he would accept any punishment. He also stressed that he had no intention of retiring from international football.
Portugal, the reigning Nations League champions, have won all four of their matches so far and secured qualification for the quarter-finals with two games remaining in the group stage. Three of those victories came without Ronaldo in the squad.
Ronaldo is the all-time leading goalscorer and the most-capped player in the history of men’s international football. He made his Portugal debut in 2003, at the age of 18, and has won the Ballon d’Or five times.
The forward has stated that 2026 is likely to be the final year of his football career, making the continuation of his appearances for the Portuguese national team even more significant.
