Ronaldo included in Portugal’s preliminary squad for November Nations League ties
Cristiano Ronaldo
Abdullateef Fowewe
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named in Portugal’s expanded preliminary squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales, according to reports from Portuguese newspaper O Jogo.
The 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward, who remains Portugal’s captain and all-time leading scorer, features on the broad list of around 55 players from which coach Jorge Jesus will select the final squad.
His Al-Nassr teammates João Félix and Samu Costa are also included.
Portugal face Denmark at home in Braga on 14 November and travel to Cardiff to play Wales three days later.
The final squad is expected to be announced around 6 November.
Portugal have already secured a place in the Nations League quarter-finals and need just one more point to confirm top spot in their group.
Ronaldo’s inclusion marks a potential step toward his return after a high-profile dispute during the previous international window.
In late September, he left the national team camp in Copenhagen after being an unused substitute in the win over Norway and learning he would not start against Denmark.
He later released a lengthy statement accusing Jesus of twice “breaking his word” and citing an “absolute breach of trust.”
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) subsequently handed Ronaldo a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine for abandoning the squad.
The ban was backdated, meaning it expires at the end of October and does not prevent him from being available for the November fixtures.
Officials on both sides have previously indicated a willingness to move forward.
FPF president Pedro Proença has spoken of a desire to have the captain back, while Jesus has left the door open.
Ronaldo has expressed interest in continuing with the national team, though the final decision on whether he accepts a call-up if selected will rest with him.
The preliminary list does not guarantee selection, but it signals that Ronaldo remains in Jesus’s plans despite the recent tensions.
