Bernardo Silva has been appointed the new captain of Portugal following Cristiano Ronaldo's retirement from international football, with manager Jorge Jesus confirming the leadership change ahead of the upcoming international fixtures.

According to a report by Madrid Universal on Friday, November 6, 2026, the Real Madrid midfielder will take over the captaincy because he has the highest number of international appearances among Portugal's remaining players.

Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, bringing an end to his long-standing involvement with the national team.

The former Real Madrid forward had captained Portugal for several years, making his departure a significant change for the country's leadership group.

Bernardo, 32, has earned 115 caps for Portugal, putting him ahead of Bruno Fernandes, who has 97 appearances. Ruben Dias follows with 84, while Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves have 77 and 73 caps respectively.

Jesus explained that the national team's captaincy selection is determined by international appearances, confirming that Bernardo would lead the side following Ronaldo's departure.

"In the national team, captains are chosen based on their international appearances. Currently, there are five players with the most international caps. Interestingly, all of them were my players at the clubs I managed," the Portugal manager said, as quoted by AS.

"The logic will remain the same. The player with the most international caps after Cristiano Ronaldo is Bernardo Silva," he added.

Jesus also confirmed that Ruben Dias, Cancelo, Neves and Fernandes would form the remaining members of Portugal's leadership group.

Bernardo's appointment comes during a period of growing influence at Real Madrid. The midfielder joined the Spanish giants as a free agent during the summer after leaving Manchester City at the end of his contract.

Although he initially struggled to establish himself at the Santiago Bernabeu, his performances have improved in recent weeks, particularly following Real Madrid's 2-1 victory over Barcelona in El Clasico.

He has made 12 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos this season, recording one goal and one assist.

Bernardo is now expected to lead Portugal in their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Denmark and Wales, beginning a new chapter for the national team following Ronaldo's international retirement.