Lisbon’s José Alvalade Stadium opened a new Portugal chapter on Thursday, but Jorge Jesus’s first night in charge brought as many questions as celebrations. The European side began the defence of its Nations League crown with a 1-0 victory over Wales, João Félix deciding the match after 22 minutes, yet the performance suggested that the transition from Roberto Martínez will require time.
Jesus, 72, took over after Martínez departed following the 2026 World Cup, and his first selection has had only a small number of training sessions in which to absorb his demands. Much of the previous regime’s squad remains in place, making an instant overhaul unlikely, but the early signs of the new coach’s preferences were visible in Lisbon.
Portugal used a more disciplined holding midfielder and stationed Félix behind the central forward, with the Atlético Madrid player asked to link midfield and attack. Those changes helped produce the winning goal, but the hosts were far from fluent. Their midfield became disconnected at times, while defensive uncertainty appeared in a difficult opening spell.
The match also had two distinct halves. Portugal started with greater purpose before losing sharpness and intensity after the interval, allowing Wales more room to settle into the contest. Cristiano Ronaldo’s replacement by Gonçalo Ramos did not bring a notable improvement in the attacking display.
João Cancelo said the squad was adapting to a markedly different approach. Jesus wants his side to press high and prevent opponents from building calmly from the back, while retaining an attacking outlook. The full-back acknowledged both technical and tactical mistakes, stressing that the players have had limited time to work on the new plan.
Cancelo also looked back at Portugal’s World Cup disappointment, saying, “We let people down at the World Cup,” and made clear that the group wants to offer a stronger response in this new cycle.
Jesus was encouraged by his team’s defensive work overall, although he accepted that Portugal struggled during the first minutes. He explained Ronaldo’s withdrawal as a pressing decision, saying a fresher player was needed to lead that part of the game.
A sharper test in Norway
The Nations League is beginning to look less like a straightforward title defence and more like a bridge towards the next major tournaments. Portugal have the points from their opening fixture and Félix’s goal has given Jesus a winning start, but the coach’s tactical adjustments remain unfinished.
Norway await next, a meeting expected to offer a more demanding examination of Portugal’s ability to sustain their press, protect the defence and keep control of matches beyond the opening hour. In Lisbon, the result belonged to Jesus; the full performance is still to come.
