Portugal’s national team camp was thrown into an unexpected situation on Wednesday after Cristiano Ronaldo left the squad in Copenhagen ahead of Thursday’s Nations League meeting with Denmark.
The development came shortly after head coach Jorge Jesus revealed that the 41-year-old was not expected to start the match.
Ronaldo confirms departure on social media
Ronaldo confirmed his departure through a statement on Instagram, explaining that he had spoken with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation before making the decision to leave the camp.
"After the press conference of the national team, and following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have made the decision to leave the national team training camp," the Portugal no.7 wrote.
The Al Nassr forward added that he would eventually provide an explanation for his decision and insisted that he remained committed to Portugal.
“In due course, I will tell all the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led me to leave the national team, to which I always dedicated myself.”
{{/usCountry}}“In due course, I will tell all the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led me to leave the national team, to which I always dedicated myself.”
{{/usCountry}}He then wished the team and his teammates well ahead of the Denmark clash.
"Now is the time to wish Portugal and all my teammates good luck, without exception."
Has Ronaldo retired from Portugal?
Ronaldo’s decision to leave the camp has inevitably raised questions about whether he could be nearing the end of his international career.
However, there has been no official confirmation from either the player or the Portuguese Football Federation that he has retired from international football.
For now, speculation surrounding the end of Ronaldo’s Portugal career remains just that. The veteran forward has not publicly announced his retirement, meaning his future with the national team remains uncertain.
Ronaldo did not feature in Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday and has not trained with the rest of the squad since then. He was also absent from Wednesday’s session before reportedly leaving the stadium where the team was preparing for the Denmark fixture.
Also read | Cristiano Ronaldo's bizarre night: Gets snubbed as 18-year streak ends in Portugal's 2-1 win over Norway
If Ronaldo’s departure on Wednesday ultimately turns out to be an unannounced retirement, his final appearance for Portugal would have come in last week’s game against Wales, where he scored a goal that was ruled offside by VAR.
What happened between Portugal coach and Ronaldo?
The tension surrounding Ronaldo started with Portugal’s Nations League encounter against Norway, where Jesus made the decision to keep the veteran forward among the substitutes.
Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos were given starting roles instead, and both justified the selection by scoring in Portugal’s 2-1 win.
Ronaldo never came onto the field, with his only involvement coming during the second-half warm-up. Once the match was over, he headed straight to the dressing room and was not present with the other substitutes at the team’s training session the following day.
The developments fueled speculation about tension between Ronaldo and Jesus. However, the Portugal coach subsequently rejected suggestions of a crisis involving his captain and said Ronaldo would train with the squad on Wednesday. "There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus said.
"Any player - and I was a player myself - when you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then don't get on, no-one is happy about that,” the Portuguese coach explained. .
He also explained that he had already informed Ronaldo before the Norway game that he would not be in the starting lineup, although he had considered bringing him on during the match.
"Afterwards, as coach, I decided not to bring him on. It's nothing to make a fuss about," he added.
Why did Ronaldo leave camp?
The precise reason behind Ronaldo’s decision to leave Portugal’s training camp has not yet been disclosed. In his statement, the forward said he would explain the circumstances "in due course."
Also read | Cristiano Ronaldo fires blanks but gets standing ovation after being subbed off in Portugal's win
However, neither Ronaldo nor the Portuguese Football Federation has publicly confirmed that his departure was the result of a dispute with Jesus. Until Ronaldo provides the explanation he promised, the exact circumstances behind his decision remain unclear.