Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo abruptly left the national team’s training camp in Copenhagen on Wednesday following the announcement by coach Jorge Jesus that he would not start in the upcoming Nations League match against Denmark. The decision came after Ronaldo spent the entire game on the bench during Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday, marking the first time in 18 years that he had been an unused substitute for the national team.
Ronaldo, 41, who recently indicated this season would likely be his last in professional football, communicated his departure on Instagram, stating that after discussions with the Portuguese Football Federation president, he decided to leave the camp. He promised to explain his reasons to the Portuguese public at a later date and extended his well wishes to his teammates and the team as a whole.
Coach Jorge Jesus maintained that there was no personal conflict with Ronaldo and emphasized that the decision was tactical. Jesus revealed that he had informed Ronaldo prior to the Norway match that he would not be in the starting lineup but might be brought on later. However, after reconsideration, the coach opted not to field him. Jesus also clarified that Ronaldo had performed individual training focused on mobility and strengthening on Tuesday and had been expected to train normally on Wednesday. Despite arriving at the Parken stadium with the team bus, Ronaldo left the facility shortly after Jesus’s press conference without joining his teammates on the pitch.
The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed Ronaldo’s exit from the training camp but stressed that preparations for the matches against Denmark and Norway would continue with the remaining 24 players. The federation affirmed full focus on the upcoming fixtures and their objectives.
The situation sparked strong reactions, notably from Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, who criticized what she described as betrayal and blamed certain attitudes among the Portuguese public for the circumstances surrounding her brother’s departure. She echoed a sentiment shared by a fan online, characterizing the environment as envious and dismissive, and lamented a perceived decline in national football standards absent Ronaldo’s influence. Amid rising tensions, emergency talks were reportedly held in an attempt to resolve differences between Ronaldo and Jesus.
Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, is said to have attempted to persuade Ronaldo to remain with the squad, but the player left before seeing his teammates following training. Joaquim Evangelista, head of the Portuguese players’ union, called for unity, warning against letting the debate escalate into division and urged respect for Ronaldo’s legacy in light of negative commentary on social media.
Replacing Ronaldo, AC Milan’s Goncalo Ramos has continued to feature prominently under Jesus, having scored the winning goal against Norway. For the match against Denmark, Ramos was assigned Ronaldo’s iconic No. 7 jersey and will wear it through subsequent fixtures.
The episode marks a significant moment in Ronaldo’s international career, as he remains Portugal’s all-time leading scorer with 146 goals in 234 appearances, but now faces uncertainty regarding his future involvement with the national team.