{
  "id": 9493545,
  "title": "3,000 fans without Ronaldo, 55,000 came when he played: Jorge Jesus",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/3-000-fans-without-ronaldo-55-000-came-when-he-played-jorge-jesus",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-24T04:45:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/sport/football/3000-fans-without-ronaldo-55000-came-when-he-played-jorge-jesus-1.500685913"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jorge Jesus, Portugal's new national team coach, has emphasized Cristiano Ronaldo's symbolic importance to the country beyond his on-field performance. The 41-year-old Ronaldo is not automatically guaranteed a spot in the team, according to Jesus. The coach stated that Ronaldo's status doesn't guarantee playing time, and performance is what counts. Jesus, who previously worked with Ronaldo at Al Nassr, shared an interesting example from Hong Kong to illustrate the impact Ronaldo has on crowds. In a 55,000-capacity stadium, attendance dropped to 3,000 when Ronaldo didn't play, but surged to 55,000 when he did. This example underscores the magnitude of Ronaldo's presence. The coach confirmed that Ronaldo will start against Wales at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Thursday, though his performance in the match will depend on how it unfolds. Jesus joked that he hopes Ronaldo scores to make it easier to take him off. The coach also hinted at his ambition to win another Nations League title and achieve the elusive 1,000-goal mark for Portugal. He expressed a desire to create a new dynamic and playing culture in Portuguese football, preferring a defensive midfielder and a second forward. While Jesus acknowledges the need for tactical flexibility, he believes Portugal's players have the intelligence to adapt. Despite Portugal's underwhelming performances in major tournaments, Jesus remains optimistic about changing that trend. Whether his ambitions will materialize remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Ronaldo's impact on Portuguese football is immense.",
  "summary": "Cristiano Ronaldo may be 41, but new Portugal boss Jorge Jesus has made it clear that his importance to Portugal goes far beyond what happens on the pitch. Ahead of Portugal’s Nations League opener against Wales, the new national team coach described Ronaldo as a “symbol of Portugal and the national team”. But Jesus also made one thing very clear. Ronaldo’s status does not automatically guarantee…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}