Jorge Jesus: Many People Wouldn’t Know Portugal Exists If Not For Ronaldo – Portuguese Minister

Portuguese Minister of Economy Manuel Castro Almeida has highlighted Cristiano Ronaldo’s enormous popularity, saying many people around the world know Portugal because of the football superstar.

According to Almeida, Ronaldo is the most famous person in Portugal and remains one of the country’s biggest assets because of his global influence and popularity.

The comments come amid the recent controversy involving Ronaldo and Portugal’s new head coach, Jorge Jesus. The 41-year-old reportedly left the national team’s training camp following remarks made by Jesus during a press conference ahead of the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark.

“Many people only know Portugal thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo,” the Minister of Economy said.

Almeida also argued that Portugal should continue to benefit from Ronaldo’s presence with the national team, pointing to his impact on the country’s international image.

He said: “It would be good if Portugal could continue to count on this asset. Ronaldo has a huge impact on the projection and promotion of the Portugal brand. He is the most famous person in Portugal; many people only know Portugal thanks to him.”

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Meanwhile, Portugal have continued their strong start under Jorge Jesus, winning every match played since his appointment. They defeated Norway 2-1 in their final group-stage game of the UEFA Nations League on Sunday night.