The 41-year-old captain walked out of training camp after coach Jorge Jesus announced he would not start against Denmark.
Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen on Wednesday ahead of the team’s Nations League match against Denmark, walking out after learning he would not start.
The 41-year-old captain announced his exit on Instagram shortly after head coach Jorge Jesus held a press conference. Jesus told reporters that the veteran forward would not be in the starting lineup for Thursday’s UEFA Nations League fixture in Copenhagen.
“Following the national team coach’s news conference, and after a conversation with the president of the Portuguese football federation, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo wrote. He added that he has always “dedicated” himself to the side and said that “in time” he would “tell the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons” behind his departure. The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed on social media that the Al-Nassr forward will not be available.
Tension after Norway match
The departure followed Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, where Ronaldo spent the match on the bench as an unused substitute. Nearly a week earlier, Ronaldo had publicly committed to the squad, saying he was there to help whether he played or not. However, Jesus acknowledged he mismanaged the captain’s warmup in Norway, creating frustration within the camp.
Jesus, 72, denied there was any conflict with his captain. “There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus told reporters on Wednesday, though he acknowledged Ronaldo felt disappointed to remain benched in Oslo.
Despite Jesus’s denial, several outlets reported a dispute between the forward and the manager. Athlon Sports reported that Portuguese federation president Pedro Proenca addressed tensions between the two men before the Denmark match. Euronews reported that Ronaldo missed three consecutive training sessions, even as Jesus maintained the captain would take part in practice.
Roster changes for Denmark
Ahead of Thursday’s fixture, Denmark head coach Brian Riemer warned that Portugal will face a severe internal crisis whenever Ronaldo eventually ends his international career.
Portugal will also be without Juventus winger Francisco Conceicao, who is sidelined with an injury. Milan forward Goncalo Ramos will start in attack against Denmark in Copenhagen on Thursday.
