Will the Riyadh Victory champion coach take over Portugal, and will Ronaldo play in the European Cup again?

Written by Han Bing The World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico has entered the quarterfinal round, with 40 teams already out, and the turnover of head coaches is ongoing. Only two days after Martinez was dismissed, the Portuguese veteran Jesus, who managed Riyadh Victory last season, has been appointed as the head coach of Portugal. His arrival could have an impact on whether Ronaldo extends his national team career. Initially, Martinez was rumored to be taking over Riyadh Victory, but Australian coach Postecoglou ultimately beat him to it.

On July 6th, Portugal was eliminated, and Spanish coach Martinez announced his departure. Subsequently, Portuguese media widely reported that the nearly 72-year-old veteran Jesus will continue to work with Ronaldo in the Portuguese national team.

Jesus has coached for 36 years but has never managed a national team before. After leading his team to the Saudi league title last season, he decided to return to his homeland. To do so, he turned down a contract extension from Riyadh Victory, as well as multiple offers from Al-Ahli, Qatar, Brazil, and Turkish clubs.

Portuguese newspaper *A Bola* revealed that the Portuguese Football Federation made a swift coaching change, not only because of Jesus's extensive experience and championship record but also due to their disappointment with Martinez, prompting a return to a domestic coaching approach. Of course, Ronaldo is an indispensable factor in this decision.

Jesus signed a four-year contract worth 4 million euros annually, only one-third of his salary at Riyadh Victory. He will bring his own assistant coaching team, while Carvalho and goalkeeper coach Ricardo will remain. Jesus also hopes to bring Pepe into the coaching staff, but Mourinho has also invited Pepe. Jesus will be officially introduced next Monday.

It is reported that Jesus's contract is tied to performance, with key milestones including next summer's Nations League finals, the 2028 European Championship, and the 2030 World Cup. With Jesus taking over, Ronaldo will likely continue playing for Portugal, aiming to conclude his national team career with a major trophy.

As of early July 9th, 13 of the 48 World Cup teams have seen a total of 14 coaches leave their posts. Alongside Portugal, the host nation Mexico has also completed a coaching change. After being eliminated in the round of 16, veteran coach Aguirre announced his departure yesterday, and former Barcelona star Márquez, who served as an assistant coach for two years, has taken over.

The 47-year-old Márquez, after retiring, coached Barcelona's B team in 2022, leading them to the promotion playoffs for two consecutive seasons. In the summer of 2024, the Mexican Football Federation invited Márquez to join Aguirre's coaching staff, preparing him to take over and become the leading figure in the new World Cup cycle. Márquez will begin Mexico's renewal, centered on young player Mora, aiming for a quarterfinal push at the 2030 World Cup.

Additionally, despite being eliminated in the round of 16, Brazil coach Ancelotti and Egypt coach Hassan have both retained the trust of their respective federations. However, for Brazil, it was a less-than-ideal choice, while Egypt's federation extended Hassan's contract after elimination, both as recognition of the team's performance and as a firm stance against perceived unfair refereeing in the World Cup.

As teams have been eliminated, more coaches have stepped down. After a 1-0 loss to Colombia in the round of 16, Portuguese veteran Queiroz, who took charge of Ghana just before the World Cup, resigned. Dalić, who coached Croatia for nine years, also stepped down after the round of 16 exit. Under his tenure, Croatia reached the World Cup final and third place, as well as the Nations League final, making Dalić the greatest coach in Croatian history, surpassing Blažević. The departure of Modrić and Dalić marks the official end of Croatia's golden generation.

Furthermore, the Greek coach Donis of Saudi Arabia is only a matter of time before being dismissed; the Saudi federation initially approached Jesus but now must look elsewhere. Jordan's Moroccan coach Selami left his post on July 5th. The federations of Qatar and Uzbekistan are evaluating whether Lopetegui and Cannavaro can continue. As for Iraq's coach Arnold, whose team was eliminated with three consecutive losses, the Iraqi federation has decided to retain him to prepare for the Asian Cup early next year.