Cristiano Ronaldo’s abrupt departure from Portugal’s training camp ahead of their fixture against hosts Denmark has prompted a string of questions and a few answers. The global superstar’s exit on Wednesday was preceded by an explosive revelation by head coach Jorge Jesus, who said Ronaldo would not be picked for Portugal’s Nations League match against Denmark. The UEFA Nations League title holders will now take to the field in Copenhagen, Denmark, without their talismanic captain on matchday three of the competition.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp after a dispute with Jesus on the eve of their Nations League match against Denmark. The 41-year-old captain had been due to train with his teammates at the Parken stadium in Copenhagen on Wednesday but left abruptly after Jesus’s news conference. Jesus had said that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would train as normal.
However, despite arriving at the stadium in the team bus, Ronaldo did not join his teammates on the pitch. Portuguese media shared a video of him leaving Parken alongside two members of the backroom staff just after Jesus’s news conference. They also said that Ronaldo’s private jet was heading to Copenhagen.
Spanish sports media outlet Marca reported that Ronaldo intended to board a private flight to Madrid in the coming hours. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed Ronaldo had left the camp but said preparations for the match against Denmark and Sunday’s home game against Norway would continue as planned with the remaining 24 players. The Portugal squad later arrived at their hotel without Ronaldo and without Jesus, with the whereabouts of both still unknown.
The veteran coach had said that Ronaldo, who spent the entire match on the bench against Norway on Sunday, would not start Thursday’s Nations League clash away to Denmark, either. Jesus had insisted earlier that there was no rift between him and Ronaldo, although the 72-year-old did acknowledge that his captain had been disappointed to remain on the bench in the side’s Nations League win over Norway. Ronaldo reacted on social media soon after his departure from the camp.
He also addressed Ronaldo’s decision to head straight to the changing rooms instead of celebrating with the team after their 2-1 victory over Norway. The Portuguese coach added that he had told Ronaldo before the match that he would not be in the starting lineup, but that he might bring him on towards the end of the game. It’s nothing to make a fuss about,” Jesus insisted.
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