In Malmö, Portugal’s Nations League camp has moved from a tense start to a cautious truce before the short journey north to Copenhagen. Cristiano Ronaldo and head coach Jorge Jesus held talks on Tuesday night after the captain’s frustration over his non-appearance against Norway.
Portugal face Denmark on Thursday in their third Group A4 fixture, with attention now fixed on whether Ronaldo will return to the starting side. The 41-year-old Al Nassr forward remains Portugal’s captain, but his role in the match has become the central question around the squad.
Quick facts
- Portugal beat Norway 2-1 on Sunday.
- Cristiano Ronaldo did not play despite expecting around 30 minutes.
- Ronaldo left the pitch area without acknowledging Portugal supporters and missed two training days despite no injury.
- Jorge Jesus cited tactical reasons for leaving him out.
- Federation president Pedro Proença travelled to Malmö and joined Tuesday’s meeting.
- Portugal visit Denmark in Copenhagen on Thursday in Nations League Group A4.
The dispute followed Sunday’s 2-1 win over Erling Haaland’s Norway. Ronaldo had been told by Jesus that he would feature for half an hour, but remained on the bench throughout the match.
Jesus said the decision had been tactical and maintained that he had not realised the scale of Ronaldo’s anger at the time. After the final whistle, Ronaldo went straight towards the dressing room rather than greeting the Portuguese fans in the stadium.
He then stayed away from training for two days, although there was no reported physical problem. The episode cast a shadow over a camp that had otherwise begun positively under Jesus.
Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, travelled to Malmö on Tuesday despite not originally being due to join the delegation. He attended the evening conversation between coach and captain, seeking to ease the situation.
The official view is that the meeting produced an understanding and that the issue has been settled. Thursday’s team selection in Copenhagen will show how firm that settlement is.
Portugal, the reigning Nations League holders, opened Jesus’s tenure with a 1-0 victory against Wales last Thursday before following it with the win over Norway. A result in Denmark would preserve the encouraging start, but Ronaldo’s involvement will inevitably travel with them across the Øresund.
