The Portugal camp was already thinning in Copenhagen when Cristiano Ronaldo made it official. The 41-year-old forward has left the national-team squad on the eve of Thursday’s meeting with Denmark, adding fresh uncertainty to the closing chapter of his international career.
Quick facts
- Cristiano Ronaldo has departed Portugal’s squad before the Denmark match on Thursday.
- The game in Copenhagen is scheduled for 20:45.
- Ronaldo did not play in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Norway.
- He also missed the group training session in Malmö, Sweden, on Tuesday.
- Coach Jorge Jesus insisted there was no “Ronaldo issue” within the camp.
Ronaldo confirmed his exit in an Instagram post on Wednesday night, following a meeting involving Portugal coach Jorge Jesus and Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.
“After the national coach’s press conference, and after speaking with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I decided to leave the national-team camp,” Ronaldo wrote.
He did not explain the circumstances behind the decision, but said he would address them later. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner stressed that he had always been fully committed to Portugal and wished the squad well ahead of the Denmark fixture.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ronaldo had left Copenhagen’s stadium before Portugal’s final pre-match training session. His departure followed a difficult few days for the veteran forward.
He had remained on the bench for Portugal’s 2-1 loss to Norway on Sunday, then stayed away from collective training during the team’s stop in Malmö.
Jesus had attempted to calm the situation in his press conference, rejecting suggestions of a dispute after an urgent meeting with Ronaldo and Proença, who had travelled to Denmark. “There is no Ronaldo affair,” the coach said.
For now, Portugal must prepare without their long-serving captain. Ronaldo has promised an explanation in due course, while the prospect of his international career nearing its end has become harder to ignore.
