Jorge Jesus has made it clear that Portugal's new era will begin with continuity rather than revolution. The veteran coach, who recently signed a four-year contract to lead the national team through the 2030 FIFA World Cup, said he has no intention of making sweeping changes despite Portugal's Round of 16 exit at the 2026 World Cup.

Speaking after his appointment, Jesus explained that the short preparation time ahead of the UEFA Nations League makes a major squad overhaul unrealistic. Instead, he plans to keep the core of the previous squad together while making only minor adjustments.

"People may think the new coach will come in and change a lot of players. That won't happen. I'm not stupid," Jesus said in an interview with Canal 11. He added that he expects to introduce only "two or three new players" while maintaining the foundation of the current squad.

His comments also confirm that Cristiano Ronaldo remains firmly in Portugal's plans. At 41 years old, the Al-Nassr forward continues to be viewed as an important leader and will remain part of the national team as Jesus begins building toward the next World Cup.

Despite keeping the squad largely intact, Jesus stressed that performances must improve significantly if Portugal hopes to compete for major international trophies.

"If the national team doesn't play better than it did at the World Cup, I won't do better either," he said. The new coach noted that Portugal has world-class talent but needs to raise its overall level after winning only Euro 2016 and two UEFA Nations League titles over the past decade, emphasizing that collective improvement will be the key to future success.

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