Jorge Jesus, the head coach of the Portugal national team, has explained why he called up Cristiano Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr captain, into his squad for the first and second rounds of the UEFA Nations League.
Jesus takes charge of Portugal for the first time as successor to the Spaniard Roberto Martinez. He has begun his new mission by calling up a group of the team's most prominent players, chief among them Ronaldo, who keeps his place despite his advancing age.
History alone did not earn Ronaldo his call-up, the Portuguese coach insisted. His level in training and matches will be the deciding factor in whether he features for the national team over the coming stage.
Jesus said during the press conference he held today, Friday, after announcing the Portugal squad: "If he is going to play, he will perform his role. It is his performance that matters."
Read also: Has Cristiano Ronaldo backed away from the idea of acquiring Al-Nassr?
Explaining his philosophy in dealing with Ronaldo, the coach added: "The past does not count, but rather his entire history is taken into consideration. However, it is performance that will determine, for him as it is for everyone, the decisions I have to make in matches and training."
He continued: "And returning to Cris, he is a player like all the other players. If his level is good, he will play, and if it is not, he will not play. This is the way I deal with everyone."
Ronaldo holds a special standing because of his exceptional career, Jesus stressed. Even so, that will not grant him an advantage when it comes to the technical decisions within the national team.
He said: "Does Cris enjoy a different standing? Yes. His career is different, and he has 5 Ballon d'Ors. But does this affect my decisions? No, it does not affect them at all."
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The coach wrapped up his remarks about the Al-Nassr captain by saying: "But is he different from the others? Yes, he is different," a nod to the historic standing Ronaldo enjoys in Portuguese and world football. Participation, he made clear again, will stay tied to the level the player produces.
Ronaldo was not the only name Jesus addressed. He pointed to 13 players in the squad he had worked with before, calling that prior knowledge a helping factor at the start of his mission, especially as he does not yet have a fully settled core group.
Jesus completed his statements: "And this matter helps me, because I do not have a base or a ready core group. The national team will begin to play, and so there were, within this approach, a number of players who were important to me in my decision and my selection."
On the 1000th goal, Jesus said: "I believe the likelihood of Ronaldo reaching this achievement will be with Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia and not Portugal."