Jorge Jesus era begins at José Alvalade as Portugal defends Nations League title
Jorge Jesus takes charge of Portugal for the first time this evening, marking the start of a new chapter for the national team after the departure of Roberto Martínez. The match kicks off at 19:45 at Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon, with Wales providing the opposition in the opening fixture of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League group stage.
Cristiano Ronaldo will lead the line as captain, a decision the 72-year-old confirmed after his first training session at the Portuguese Football Federation's headquarters in Oeiras. "If nothing happens, Cris will start," the new manager told reporters, though he was quick to add that the forward's legendary status does not guarantee him 90 minutes in every match.
The nation enters this campaign as the holder of the Nations League trophy, having lifted the title in the competition's most recent edition. Portugal also won the inaugural tournament in 2019, making them the only nation with two titles in the four editions held so far.
Cut from the final squad
Two names stand out by their absence from the final 23-man list submitted to UEFA for the Wales match. Centre-back Gonçalo Inácio of Sporting and forward Fábio Silva, who plays club football for Borussia Dortmund, were both included in the initial 25-man squad announced last Friday but failed to make the cut for the matchday squad.
Jesus had publicly backed both players during the initial squad announcement. On Inácio, the manager had stated his belief that the defender's quality would shine through. On Silva, he highlighted that the 24-year-old offered something different to other forwards, praising his ability to pull the game in a way that players like Gonçalo Ramos or Ronaldo do not.
The remaining squad trained fully on Wednesday, with the session delayed by half an hour due to the heat before opening to the media for 15 minutes of warm-up exercises.
Tactical shift away from Martínez's system
Fans can expect to see a change in structure. The Portugal manager made clear his intention to move away from the 4-3-3 formation used by his predecessor, preferring instead a system built around a dedicated defensive midfielder and featuring two forwards when possible.
"I am not a 4-3-3 coach," Jesus explained at his pre-match press conference. "I prefer a holding midfielder who can cover various needs and help the centre-backs. I also prefer having a second striker, though not always."
He suggested that players who have previously worked with him might have an advantage in implementing his ideas quickly, a group that includes Ronaldo and João Félix from their time together at Al-Nassr. The intention is to **accelerate the adaptation process", though Jesus acknowledged that trying to change too much with little preparation time could hinder rather than help the squad.
The view from the opposition
Wales manager Craig Bellamy offered praise for the appointment, describing Jesus as the right choice for Portugal. "I think he has an incredible squad," the former Liverpool player said. "I feel that what he can offer is exactly what this Portuguese team needs and, in my opinion, is probably what the players desire."
Bellamy also spoke of Ronaldo's lasting legacy, saying his name "will remain in history for hundreds and hundreds of years." The Welsh captain, Ben Davies, called Portugal "one of the best teams in Europe" and acknowledged the challenge ahead.
Wales arrive in Lisbon looking to move past the disappointment of missing the 2026 World Cup, having been eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shootout during the qualifiers.
Ronaldo eyes 1,000-goal milestone
The 41-year-old forward addressed the media at length, confirming that reaching 1,000 career goals remains a target. "I want to reach it, and I will reach it, but it's not an obsession," he said. Ronaldo currently stands on 979 goals for club and country, leaving him 21 short of the historic mark.
Pressed on whether he would like to secure the milestone while wearing the Portuguese shirt, he admitted: "Of course I would like to reach goal number 1,000 in a game for the national team. That would be another beautiful story."
Ronaldo also addressed speculation about his future, reminiscing about his early days at Sporting and the special feeling of returning to Alvalade. "After so many years, entering the pitch still feels like the first time," he told reporters.
He was asked if this could be his final season. "I learned many years ago to live in the moment, so I don't know, but it's very possible that this is the last year," he responded. Pressed on whether he would announce his final game in advance, he replied with characteristic humour: "Only the Portuguese? I am worldwide. Yes, I will announce it."
Match officials and upcoming fixtures
The Lithuanian official Donatas Rumsas will referee the match, with a mostly Lithuanian officiating team. The only exception is the video assistant referee, Soren Storks from Germany.
Portugal faces a congested schedule during this international window. After Wales, the team travels to Oslo to face Norway at the Ullevaal Stadion on Sunday, before playing Denmark in Copenhagen next Thursday. The window concludes with a home match against Norway at Estádio do Dragão in Porto on 4 October.
The final two group stage fixtures take place in November, with Portugal hosting Denmark in Braga on the 14th before travelling to Cardiff to face Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium on the 17th. Only the top two teams advance to the quarter-finals.
A look at the history
Tonight marks only the second official meeting between the two nations. The first came a decade ago in the semi-final of Euro 2016, when Portugal won 2-0 in Lyon with goals from Ronaldo and Nani — a result that propelled the team towards their first major trophy days later.
In friendly matches, Portugal holds two wins and one defeat against the Welsh, with victories in Oeiras in 1949 and Chaves in 2000.
