Cristiano Ronaldo (41) abruptly left the Portugal national team training camp following coach Jorge Jesus’ hint that he would once again be excluded from the starting lineup for the upcoming the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Nations League match against Denmark.
On Wednesday, Ronaldo departed from the national team’s training base in Copenhagen, Denmark. He later took to social media to explain his decision, stating that he left after discussing the matter with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation following the coach’s press conference. Ronaldo added that when the time is right, he will reveal the truth about his departure to all Portuguese people.
He emphasized his unwavering commitment to the national team and wished Portugal and his teammates the best of luck. However, Ronaldo stopped short of explicitly announcing his retirement from international duty.
This latest development comes amid ongoing tensions regarding his playing time.
On Monday, Ronaldo was an unused substitute in Portugal’s Nations League away match against Norway. Coach Jesus had initially planned to bring him on but ultimately decided against it based on the flow of the game. Following this, Ronaldo opted for individual gym sessions instead of team training for two consecutive days.
During the pre-match press conference for the Denmark game, Jesus revealed his intention to start Gonçalo Ramos over Ronaldo, while attempting to downplay rumors of a rift between them.
Jesus stated that Ronaldo was upset with him, but that’s water under the bridge now. He told Jesus he’d play if he wanted him to, and he’d sit in the stands if that’s what he preferred. The coach added that Ronaldo didn’t refuse to train. He’s scheduled to train today.
Contrary to expectations, Ronaldo was a no-show at training that day. Local media captured his departure from the training ground before he personally announced his exit from the national team setup. The Portuguese Football Federation later confirmed Ronaldo’s departure, stating that the remaining 24 players would continue preparations for the upcoming matches against Denmark and Norway as planned.
The current situation marks a stark contrast to the initial optimism when Jesus took charge. Having coached Ronaldo at Al Nassr last season, Jesus promptly included him in the national squad upon his appointment as Portugal’s head coach. At the time, Ronaldo had expressed his willingness to step aside if the coach didn’t want him in the team.
However, the relationship seems to have soured since then. After starting in Jesus’ debut match against Wales, Ronaldo was absent for the Norway game and began favoring individual training sessions over team practices.
While Ronaldo hinted last summer that this season could be his swan song, he has yet to officially announce his retirement from international soccer. To date, he has amassed an impressive tally of 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal.
