Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp on Wednesday amid tensions that had built up in recent hours with coach Jorge Jesus, ahead of the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark.
The forward did not see any playing time in the victory over Norway, despite having warmed up during the second half. Subsequently, he did not participate in training either and ultimately left the Portuguese national team’s facilities.
The incident occurred after Jorge Jesus spoke publicly about the decision not to play Ronaldo. The coach explained that he had previously spoken with the forward and informed him that he would not play against Norway or Denmark, as part of a physical training plan similar to the one established for Bruno Fernandes.
Jesús also acknowledged that it was a mistake to have Cristiano warm up during the match against Norway. When asked about a possible dispute with the forward, the coach assured that “there is no problem” and maintained that the rules are the same for all players.
However, one of his statements drew attention to the Portuguese national team. “At a club, the president is in charge. On a team, I’m in charge,” the coach stated.
Jorge Jesus also denied that Cristiano Ronaldo had refused to train and explained that the forward had done individual work in the hotel gym.
Shortly after the press conference, Ronaldo left the training camp. The decision once again brought the spotlight back to the relationship between the forward and the coach, although the player himself eventually publicly explained the reasons for his departure.
In a statement, Cristiano noted that he made the decision following Jorge Jesus’s press conference and after speaking with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proença.
“In due time, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons behind my departure from the national team, to which I have always been fully committed,” Ronaldo said.
For now, the forward made it clear that he will later explain the reasons that led him to leave Portugal’s training camp, while attention once again turns to the situation surrounding the national team ahead of its match against Denmark.
