Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start for Portugal against Wales on Thursday, September 24, with Jorge Jesús making it clear that the forward remains central to the team’s plans for the UEFA Nations League opener. For Portugal, this is more than just a first match: it is one of the headline fixtures of the opening round, and Ronaldo remains the player who shapes the conversation.
Jesús said that, unless something unusual happens, Ronaldo will be in the starting line-up. That in itself tells the story. Even after 233 matches and 146 goals for Portugal, he is still the figure around which major nights are discussed, and his status as a symbol of the national team has not changed.
Jorge Jesús backs Ronaldo to begin
The coach’s message was straightforward. As he put it: “Si no pasa nada especial, Cristiano Ronaldo mañana (por el jueves) va a salir de inicio.”
That is the clearest answer to the question of whether Ronaldo would start against Wales. Jesús is not treating the decision as complicated. He is treating it as the natural choice for a player who remains the reference point for Portugal.
Jesús also pushed back against the idea that Ronaldo’s role should be reduced simply because of age or outside debate. He said there is concern about how long Ronaldo will keep playing and whether he is physically ready, but added that Ronaldo is still a symbol of Portugal and of the national team. The point was clear: reputation alone does not grant anyone the right to play, but Ronaldo’s influence still makes him hard to leave out.
The symbol who still draws the crowd
Jesús gave a striking example of Ronaldo’s value. He said he spent a year with him and knows what that reference means for Portugal. He recalled a match in Hong Kong in front of 55,000 people, saying that in the game where Ronaldo did not play, only 3,000 people were present.
It was a simple illustration, but a powerful one. Ronaldo is not just Portugal’s historical scorer; he is still the player who gives the team much of its global pull. That matters on nights like this, when the UEFA Nations League begins and attention naturally falls on the biggest name in the squad.
Jesús even joked that if Ronaldo scores two goals, he would take him off immediately. Whether that is said with a smile or not, it underlines the same point: Portugal still see him as capable of deciding matches, and they are still prepared to build the evening around him.
What comes after Wales?
After the Wales match, Portugal are scheduled to play Noruega twice and Dinamarca. That gives this opening fixture added importance. A strong start would set the tone for the group and, just as importantly, keep Ronaldo at the centre of the campaign as Portugal look to move through the competition.
For now, the expectation is straightforward. Portugal’s opener against Wales is likely to feature Ronaldo from the start, and that is exactly how Jesús wants the first major night of the tournament to begin.
