Cristiano Ronaldo is nine days away from what several outlets have described as his last appearance in a Portugal shirt. The reports, relayed by NBC Sports, trace back to Goal.com’s Moataz Elgammal, who cited a Portuguese agent as the source for a farewell against Wales in the opening match of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo has not confirmed it.

The venue does much of the storytelling on its own. Alvalade is Sporting CP’s home, the club where Ronaldo made his professional debut before Manchester United signed him in 2003. Kick-off is at 7:45pm local time, with the Football Association of Wales confirming ticket details for its supporters last month.

Numbers no one has matched

Ronaldo goes into the fixture with 146 international goals in 233 caps, both records for the men’s game.

He added three of those goals in five appearances at the World Cup in North America. Portugal’s run ended in Dallas with a 1-0 defeat to Spain, and before that match he addressed his own future in Portugal colours.

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“Let this be my last World Cup; it is my last World Cup, and I hope tomorrow won’t be my last match,” he told reporters.

“I will finish when I choose.”

The World Cup part has come to pass. The rest, in his telling, is his call.

Jesus wants him in the squad, not the starting XI

Roberto Martinez stepped down after the Spain defeat and the Portuguese federation appointed Jorge Jesus on a four-year contract to 2030. Jesus, who managed Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, has been clear that he wants the forward in his group but not on an automatic pass into the team.

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“Cris is never going to be a problem for the national team. Not for the national team, nor for me,” Jesus said in July.

“As long as he’s playing and is in a condition to be selected, I will pick him, within certain limits and under the conditions that I consider best for the national team.”

Wales back in League A, and back in Lisbon

Portugal drew Wales, Denmark and Norway in Group A4 after Craig Bellamy’s side won promotion from League B. Bellamy has framed simply staying in League A as the objective, and Portugal as the group’s stiffest test.

“Portugal, as well as being the reigning champions, they’re a completely different threat,” Bellamy said after the draw.

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“Listen, it’s League A, whatever group you’re going to be in, the teams are going to be loaded, and that’s what we need, and that’s what we want to be (up) against all the time.”

Whatever unfolds at Alvalade, Portugal’s campaign does not stop. Jesus’s side travel to Norway three days later, then face Denmark away on 1 October and Norway at home on 4 October, before hosting Denmark on 14 November and closing the group phase in Cardiff on 17 November.

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