‘Cristiano Ronaldo will never be a problem for Portugal’: New coach Jorge Jesus calls striker ‘symbol of Portuguese football’

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (7) (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Portugal appointed veteran coach Jorge Jesus as the new national team manager after their disappointing World Cup campaign ended with a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16. The 71-year-old replaces Roberto Martinez, who parted ways with the Portuguese Football Federation just two days before the announcement. Jesus has previously managed top Portuguese clubs including Benfica and Sporting Lisbon and most recently coached Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr.Following his appointment, Jesus dismissed suggestions that Cristiano Ronaldo could become a problem for the national team, despite debate growing over the veteran’s post-World Cup role.“Cristiano will never be a problem for the national team, not even for me,” he said.He also praised the Portugal captain, calling him one of the country’s greatest football figures. He added: “Cris is a symbol of Portuguese football. He wants to continue at Al Nassr and he will end his career at Al Nassr. Cristiano is easy to work with.”Portugal confirmed Jesus’ appointment on social media, posting: “Today a new journey begins. Welcome to the national team Mr. Jorge Jesus.”The coaching change follows Portugal’s underwhelming World Cup campaign, which has reignited questions about Ronaldo’s place in the team. Many fans and pundits criticized the previous management for continuing to play the 41-year-old forward in a central role and building the team’s offense around him despite his early departure. Jesus now takes on the task of rebuilding Portugal and preparing the team for future international competitions, while managing the final phase of Ronaldo’s international career.