3,000 fans without Ronaldo, 55,000 came when he played: Jorge Jesus

Cristiano Ronaldo may be 41, but new Portugal boss Jorge Jesus has made it clear that his importance to Portugal goes far beyond what happens on the pitch.

Ahead of Portugal’s Nations League opener against Wales, the new national team coach described Ronaldo as a “symbol of Portugal and the national team”.

But Jesus also made one thing very clear. Ronaldo’s status does not automatically guarantee him a place in the team.

“The past doesn’t count,” Jesus had said earlier about Ronaldo. “If he performs, he plays. If he doesn’t perform, he doesn’t play.”

Jesus repeated that message ahead of the Wales game, saying Ronaldo’s status does not give him the right to play every match.

The Ronaldo effect

Jesus knows Ronaldo particularly well after spending a succesful season working with him at Al Nassr where he helped the icon to win his first Saudi title.

And he used a remarkable example from Hong Kong to explain just how much attention the Portuguese superstar continues to attract.

Jesus recalled games played there, saying only around 3,000 people were inside a 55,000 capacity stadium when Ronaldo did not play. When Ronaldo featured, he said the attendance was 55,000.

“That is the difference,” Jesus said.

Ronaldo will also be at the heart of Jesus’ first Portugal team.

The coach confirmed that, barring any late issue, the 41 year old will start against Wales at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Thursday.

Whether he completes the full match will depend on how the game develops.

Jesus even joked that he hopes Ronaldo scores once or twice so he can take him off immediately.

Cristiano set his sights on another Nations League title, and he wants to reach that magical 1000-goal mark as well. He is only 21 goals away from achieving that extraordinary feat. His hunger and longevity is simply difficult to replicate.

Jorge Jesús, sobre Cristiano Ronaldo:

"Quieren saber cuánto más jugará Cristiano Ronaldo, no es mi decisión. Es un símbolo de Portugal. Jugamos un partido sin él y fueron 3.000 personas. Cuando él jugó, se llenó el estadio". pic.twitter.com/wzRYpwYwVw

— Pablo Giralt (@giraltpablo) September 24, 2026

Portugal could look different under Jesus

Jesus also gave an interesting indication of how his Portugal could differ from the team under Roberto Martinez.

He said he has a different way of looking at football and wants to create a new dynamic and playing culture.

Jesus prefers having a defensive midfielder who can provide balance and cover, while he also likes playing with a second forward rather than using a third midfielder. He confirmed that the latter is something Portugal will do against Wales.

However, he stressed that tactical systems will change during matches and believes Portugal have players intelligent enough to adapt.

Portugal have been underwhelming at major tournaments such as the Euros and World Cup despite having an enormous pool of talent and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo. Can Jesus change that trend? We will have to wait and see.

Winning the Nations League will not necessarily give us a clear answer, considering Portugal have already won it twice. The competition is also not treated with the same importance as the Euros or World Cup, with several players even dropping out as they manage their workload.

It may feel like a glorified friendly competition at times, but when there is a trophy in sight, you might as well go and win it.