Vitinha and Gonçalo Ramos back Jorge Jesus after Ronaldo exit

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·2 October 2026

Vitinha and Gonçalo Ramos back Jorge Jesus after Ronaldo exit

Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence from the Portugal national team continues to spark reactions, but inside the dressing room the signs point to a squad that backs Jorge Jesus’ decisions.

After the 4-2 win over Denmark in the UEFA Nations League, Vitinha and Gonçalo Ramos publicly defended the work of Portugal’s new head coach and highlighted the clarity he has managed to bring to the group.

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Vitinha: “The coach’s work is starting to pay off”

Vitinha was one of the standout players in the win in Copenhagen, scoring his first goal for Portugal. After the match, the PSG player highlighted the impact Jorge Jesus is having on the team.

“The coach’s work is starting to pay off, you can already see it. I think I was very clear, and fortunately everything is going well. This is how we want to keep going.”

The midfielder also praised the atmosphere inside the dressing room and said the team managed to shut out everything surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo.

“We tried to focus on the match and we did it. I think we responded brilliantly, and I congratulate the whole team for that. The spirit is incredible.”

Regarding the absence of the Portuguese captain, Vitinha avoided addressing the controversy directly and instead focused on the team’s collective performance.

Gonçalo Ramos also praises Jorge Jesus’ work

For his part, Gonçalo Ramos, who took Cristiano Ronaldo’s place as center forward and also got on the scoresheet, highlighted the clarity the new coach has brought to the team.

“The new coach helps us a lot and our ideas are clearer. We know exactly where each teammate is, both in defense and in attack, and that showed in today’s match, but also in the previous ones.”

The Milan striker was also asked directly about Cristiano’s situation, although he chose not to fuel the controversy.

“Outside matters do not affect the importance of today’s match. We wanted to win, and we did.”

Jorge Jesus stands by his position

The statements from both players came after Jorge Jesus once again defended his stance following the win over Denmark.

The Portuguese coach said that a player’s status does not change the rules he applies within the group.

“Zero, I still think the same way. There are players with status. For me, that is crystal clear, but the rules are the same for everyone.”

Portugal therefore secured an important victory despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence, while Jorge Jesus begins to cement his first decisions in charge of the national team.

The situation of the historic captain remains one of the main talking points, but for now Vitinha and Gonçalo Ramos have made their support for the new era of the Portuguese national team publicly clear.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.