Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s retirement from international football, Portugal’s head coach Jorge Jesus has revealed five players who could take over the captain’s responsibilities for the national team. Jesus himself announced this at a press conference. He explained that the captaincy is determined based on the number of appearances with the Portugal shirt.
It is not based on the coach’s personal choice. In this way, Portugal’s captain will emerge from this clear hierarchy criterion. The criterion is based on players’ international experience.
This statement comes at a time when Portugal is preparing for a new period. This period comes without Ronaldo’s figure. For many years, Ronaldo was the undisputed leader of the team.
Jesus left no room for interpretation. He emphasized that the next captain will not be chosen according to the coach’s preferences. He will be chosen according to merit in matches played with the national team.
This method of selection aims to avoid any debate. It also aims to ensure that the armband passes to the player with the most experience. His decision to clarify the criterion comes at a time when the media and fans have widely speculated about who will succeed Ronaldo.
Candidates for captain include names such as Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves. This was learned from Jesus’s statement.