Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo left the national team’s training camp in Denmark on Wednesday. He went after coach Jorge Jesus told reporters that the striker would not start the next match.
Ronaldo was due to train with the squad at the Parken stadium in Copenhagen. He left soon after the coach’s press conference, eNCA reported.
“Following the national team coach’s press conference, and after having a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.
“In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated,” he wrote. He also wished good luck to Portugal and all his team-mates.
Ronaldo spent the whole match on the bench when Portugal beat Norway 2-1 in Oslo on Sunday. Jesus said the 41-year-old would also not start Thursday’s Nations League game away to Denmark.
The coach said he planned to start AC Milan striker Goncalo Ramos again. Ramos scored the winning goal against Norway.
“If everything goes according to plan, it will be Goncalo who plays,” Jesus said. About Ronaldo, he added: “If I need him, he’ll come on. If I don’t need him, he won’t.”
Jesus, who is 72, said earlier that there was no rift between him and his captain. He did admit that Ronaldo was unhappy to stay on the bench in Oslo.
After that win, Ronaldo walked straight to the changing room. He did not join his team-mates in greeting the Portugal fans in the stands.
“There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus told reporters. He said he told Ronaldo before the match that he would not start, but might come on near the end.
“Afterwards, as coach, I decided not to bring him on. It’s nothing to make a fuss about,” Jesus said.
The former Benfica coach also said Ronaldo did not refuse to train on Tuesday, as some Portuguese media had claimed. He said the player had to do separate exercises for mobility and strength.
Jesus said Ronaldo would train as normal on Wednesday. Ronaldo arrived at the stadium on the team bus but did not join the others on the pitch.
Portuguese media shared a video of him leaving the stadium with two members of the backroom staff. They also reported that his private jet was on its way to Copenhagen.
Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, hit out at Portuguese people on Instagram. “They don’t deserve to have the best of anything,” she said.
The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed in a statement that Ronaldo had left the camp. It said preparation for the matches against Denmark and Norway would go on with the 24 remaining players.
“The entire delegation remains totally focused on the national team’s next fixtures and on achieving the established objectives,” the federation said.
Ronaldo is Portugal’s top goalscorer and most capped player, with 146 goals in 234 games. He said this summer that this season would “probably (be) my last year in football”.
Source: this article is based on reporting by eNCA. Image: eNCA. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.