Cristiano Ronaldo has dramatically left Portugal’s training camp in Denmark after head coach Jorge Jesus publicly announced that the national team captain would be dropped to the bench for Thursday’s UEFA Nations League match in Copenhagen.
The 41-year-old forward had arrived at the Parken Stadium on the team bus for a scheduled afternoon training session. However, he departed the venue alongside backroom staff shortly after Jesus completed his pre-match media commitments.
Ronaldo subsequently confirmed his departure in a statement released on social media, revealing he had consulted with Portuguese Football Federation president Fernando Gomes before taking the decision.
”Following the national team coach’s press conference, and after having a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo stated. “In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving.”
The dispute follows Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo, during which Ronaldo spent the entire 90 minutes on the substitute bench. Upon the conclusion of the match, the forward walked directly down the tunnel without joining his team-mates to applaud the traveling support.
Speaking to the press prior to Ronaldo’s departure, Jesus denied any major row had taken place, though he admitted the veteran was unhappy at being left out.
”There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus said. “Any player when you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then don’t get on, no one is happy about that. If everything goes according to plan, it will be Goncalo [Ramos] who plays. If I need him, he’ll come on. If I don’t need him, he won’t.”
Ronaldo, who announced earlier this year that the 2025-26 season would likely be his last as a professional player, is Portugal’s all-time record goalscorer with 146 goals in 234 international appearances.
