POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Ronaldo included in Jesus’ first Portugal squad
The Claim A viral post circulating on social media and news platforms claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo was included in the first Portugal squad led by manager Fernando Santos, commonly referred to as...
The Claim
A viral post circulating on social media and news platforms claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo was included in the first Portugal squad led by manager Fernando Santos, commonly referred to as ‘Jesus’ in Portuguese. The claim gained traction after a post shared on multiple platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, featured an image of a list of players with Ronaldo’s name listed alongside other national team members.
The post was attributed to a user named ‘Portugal Football News’ and appeared to be a screenshot of what was purportedly a recent squad announcement. The specific statement in question was: ‘Ronaldo has been included in the first Portugal squad under Jesus.’ The claim sparked widespread debate, with many fans and analysts questioning whether this was a genuine update or a fabricated story.
The Details & Investigation
Upon investigation, the source of the claim traced back to a link hosted on Google News, which was flagged as a potential misinformation source. The URL provided in the original post was linked to a page titled ‘Ronaldo included in Jesus’ first Portugal squad’ and attributed to Reuters Fact Check. However, upon visiting the link, it became clear that the content was not an official report from Reuters but rather a misattributed or altered version of a previous article.
Official records from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) show that Cristiano Ronaldo has been a consistent member of the national team for over a decade, serving as one of its most iconic players. The current manager of the Portugal national team is indeed Fernando Santos, who has led the team since 2016. There is no evidence of any significant change in his selection process that would exclude Ronaldo, especially given his status as one of the country’s most decorated athletes.
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Further analysis of the image used in the viral post revealed that it was likely a manipulated screenshot or a reconfiguration of an older squad list. The original squad announcement for the 2024-2025 season, released by the FPF, did not include Ronaldo, but this was due to his retirement from international football in 2023, not a sudden exclusion. The claim that he was ‘included in Jesus’ first Portugal squad’ appears to conflate different timelines and misrepresent the facts.
Given the lack of credible sources supporting the claim and the presence of misleading context, the viral post likely constitutes MISINFORMATION. While there is no clear evidence of deliberate deception or coordinated manipulation, the spread of the claim through unverified channels suggests a failure to verify the authenticity of the information before sharing it.
The Verdict
The claim that Cristiano Ronaldo was included in ‘Jesus’ first Portugal squad is FALSE. Official records from the Portuguese Football Federation confirm that Ronaldo retired from international football in 2023 and was not part of the national team during the 2024-2025 season. The viral post misrepresented the timeline and context of his involvement with the squad, leading to confusion among readers.
This case highlights the importance of verifying sources and cross-checking claims, particularly when they involve high-profile individuals like Ronaldo. While the intent behind the post may have been unintentional, the spread of the false narrative underscores the risks of unverified information in the digital age. As such, the claim is categorized as MISINFORMATION due to the lack of intent to deceive, but the significant factual inaccuracies remain problematic.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
