Copenhagen became the setting for Portugal’s growing uncertainty on Wednesday, when Cristiano Ronaldo left the Parken Stadium before the national team’s scheduled training session and signalled that he would soon give his own account of events. The departure came only a week after Ronaldo had appeared alongside new Portugal coach Jorge Jesus in a display of unity before the Wales match.
From a shared press room to Copenhagen
- Before Jorge Jesus’s first match in charge against Wales, he praised Ronaldo as an emblematic figure for Portugal while stressing that squad selection would remain the responsibility of the coaching staff.
- Ronaldo answered that he would leave immediately if the coach and Portuguese Football Federation no longer believed he could contribute, score goals or help the dressing room.
- Ronaldo started the Wales fixture but endured a difficult evening. A goal was ruled out for offside, he missed a clear chance against the goalkeeper and was substituted in the 68th minute.
- Jesus later said he needed a quicker forward who could press the opposition build-up, adding that Ronaldo could no longer sustain that work and had little more to offer offensively at that stage.
- For Portugal’s away match against Norway last Sunday, Gonçalo Ramos replaced Ronaldo in the starting line-up. Ronaldo warmed up with the other substitutes shortly after half-time, but was not introduced as Ramos scored the goal in a 1-0 victory.
- Ronaldo left the pitch immediately after the final whistle, visibly unhappy at having remained on the bench.
- He then missed Tuesday’s training session. Early explanations centred on the absence of equipment required for an individual workout, but attention quickly turned to his relationship with Jesus.
- Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, visited the team camp on Wednesday and met Jesus and Ronaldo in an effort to settle the situation.
Jesus insists selection remains his decision
Addressing the issue in Copenhagen, Jesus rejected the idea of an irreparable dispute. He said he had intended to use Ronaldo for between 20 and 30 minutes against Norway, but that the course of the match altered his plans.
The coach accepted one mistake: sending Ronaldo out to warm up after the interval when he was ultimately not needed. “No player anywhere is happy to warm up and then not play,” Jesus said.
Yet Jesus also made clear that Ronaldo’s standing as Portugal captain and record scorer would not give him control over selection. He indicated that Ramos had again been in line to start, and said no player would alter his footballing decisions.
Ronaldo leaves Parken before training
Ronaldo had arrived at Parken for the session, but departed the stadium shortly after Jesus’s press conference rather than taking part in training. He was seen leaving in a van for Portugal’s team hotel.
On social media, Ronaldo did not name Jesus, but said he intended to tell “all Portuguese people” the truth about his exit in the near future. He also wished Portugal and his international teammates well.
A private flight linked to the forward was scheduled to travel from Madrid to Copenhagen on Wednesday night. Portugal still have two UEFA Nations League matches to play during this international window, with a disagreement that began around one substitution now following the squad across Denmark.
