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Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp after coach Jorge Jesus said he wouldn’t start against Denmark.
Cristiano Ronaldi is Portugal’s leading goalscorer and most capped player. (AP Photo)
In a significant development, football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s training camp in Denmark after coach Jorge Jesus confirmed that the captain would again be left out of the starting XI. Ronaldo was expected to work with his team-mates at Copenhagen’s Parken stadium on Wednesday.
Instead, he departed shortly after Jesus addressed the media.
The decision followed Ronaldo‘s absence from the pitch during Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway in Oslo on Sunday. Jesus had already confirmed that the 41-year-old would not start Thursday’s meeting with Denmark.
“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 wrote on Instagram.
“In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated.
“Now is time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my team-mates, without exception.”
Após a conferência de imprensa do Selecionador Nacional, e no seguimento de uma conversa com o Presidente da Federação Portuguesa de Futebol, tomei a decisão de deixar o estágio da Seleção Nacional.A seu tempo, direi a verdade a todos os Portugueses sobre as razões que… pic.twitter.com/j8Qrws9KTS
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) September 30, 2026
Jesus rejected suggestions of a dispute with his captain, while acknowledging that Ronaldo had been unhappy about spending the Norway game on the bench.
The situation quickly became a major talking point online, with social media users producing a wave of memes. Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, also reacted angrily on Instagram.
“They don’t deserve to have the best of anything,” she said about the Portuguese people on Instagram.
“We are envious, scornful, and ignorant, and we deserve to return to the mediocrity that defined us in the pre-CR7 era of football.”
Ronaldo’s frustration had already been visible after the Norway victory. He went directly to the dressing room at full time rather than joining the rest of the squad as they acknowledged the Portuguese fans.
Jesus maintained that there had been no confrontation between the pair.
“There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus told reporters.
The Portugal boss said he understood why Ronaldo had been disappointed after being left out, drawing on his own experience as a former player.
“Any player –- and I was a player myself… when you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then don’t get on… no one is happy about that,” Jesus said on Wednesday.
Jesus said he had informed Ronaldo before the Norway match that he would not begin the game, while leaving open the possibility of introducing him later.
“Afterwards, as coach, I decided not to bring him on. It’s nothing to make a fuss about,” Jesus insisted.
He also dismissed reports from some Portuguese media outlets claiming Ronaldo had refused to train on Tuesday. According to Jesus, the forward instead completed individual work focused on physical “mobility” and “strengthening”.
The plan had been for Ronaldo to return to normal team training on Wednesday. Although he arrived at Parken on the team bus, he did not take part in the session with his colleagues.
Portuguese media later published footage appearing to show Ronaldo leaving the stadium with two members of the backroom staff soon after Jesus’s press conference. Reports also indicated that Ronaldo’s private jet was travelling towards Copenhagen.
The Portuguese Football Federation subsequently confirmed Ronaldo’s departure from the training camp.
“Preparation for the two matches against Denmark and Norway… continue as planned with the 24 remaining squad members,” the federation said.
“The entire delegation remains totally focussed on the national team’s next fixtures and on achieving the established objectives.”
Jesus had already indicated that Goncalo Ramos was set to lead the attack against Denmark after the AC Milan striker scored the winning goal against Norway.
“If everything goes according to plan, it will be Goncalo who plays,” he said, before adding regarding Ronaldo: “If I need him, he’ll come on. If I don’t need him, he won’t.”
Ronaldo, Portugal’s record goalscorer and most-capped player, said this summer that the current campaign would “probably (be) my last year in football”.
He has scored 146 times in 234 appearances for his country.
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Ask News18Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp after head coach Jorge Jesus confirmed that the captain would be left out of the starting lineup for the upcoming match against Denmark. Ronaldo stated he would tell the truth to the Portuguese people in due course regarding his departure.
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Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
October 01, 2026, 08:06 IST
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