Jorge Jesus: Cristiano Ronaldo will not influence my Portugal decisions

Jorge Jesus says Cristiano Ronaldo will not dictate his tactical choices for Portugal, insisting that the manager has the final say over team selection.

The Portugal boss was speaking ahead of Thursday’s Nations League meeting with Denmark at Parken in Copenhagen, where he was asked about Ronaldo’s omission from the starting line-up against Norway.

Jesus said he had already told the 41-year-old forward that he would not start either of Portugal’s matches against Norway or Denmark.

“I told him that he would not start the matches against Norway and Denmark,” said Jesus. “I worked with Cris for a year. I know exactly what his physical condition is. I used to do the same thing in Saudi Arabia, when we played every three days.

“I told him he would be there whenever and wherever he was needed. That is what happened.”

Jesus was also questioned about Ronaldo’s failure to appear against Norway, despite reports that the player had been given a verbal promise he would feature.

The manager said the team’s needs always took priority, and that the circumstances of the match against Erling Haaland and his Norway team-mates did not require him to use Ronaldo.

“I can promise whatever I want. I am the coach,” Jesus said. “I told the player he would not start the match and would be on the bench. If I needed him for 30 minutes, he would play. If I did not need him, he would not play.

“No player will change my thinking – not him, not anyone else in football, and not even a president. That will never happen.”

Jesus, who previously managed Sporting Lisbon and Benfica, said Ronaldo’s status and career would be respected but would not override the same rules applied to every member of the squad.

“Status is one thing, but the rules are the same for everyone,” he added. “His status comes from his past and his career, and that must be taken into account, but I always make decisions according to the team’s objective.

“I am the one who decides. Anyone who has worked with me knows that. At a club, the president is the person in charge. In the team, I am the person in charge.”

Asked whether Ronaldo would replace starting striker Goncalo Ramos against Denmark, Jesus replied: “I don’t know. It depends on the match.”

The comments follow reports that Ronaldo was unhappy after being left out of Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday in the second round of the Nations League.

Ronaldo did not play at all in Oslo, including as a substitute, and did not train with his team-mates on Monday or Tuesday. Before the match, Jesus had said he intended to use him but that he was unlikely to start.

After the final whistle, Ronaldo went straight from the substitutes’ bench to the tunnel and did not join his Portugal team-mates in applauding the visiting supporters.