He said that as long as the player is active and fit for selection, he will choose him, making decisions he believes are best for the national team.
He noted he has not yet spoken with Ronaldo but emphasized that Ronaldo will never be an issue for the national side or for him personally.
He added that he greatly enjoyed working with Ronaldo over the past year and found him easy to work with.
Jesus’ first game in charge will be Portugal’s Nations League Group D opener against Wales on 24 September.
Portugal will co-host the World Cup in four years with Spain and Morocco.
After winning a domestic treble with Saudi club Al Hilal in the 2023-24 season, Jesus also previously secured three league titles with Benfica in 2010, 2014 and 2015.
He enjoyed further success in Brazil during a year with Flamengo, capturing five major trophies in 2019, including the Brazilian title and the Copa Libertadores.