Portugal coach Jorge Jesus and Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) president Pedro Proenca reportedly made a last-minute attempt to convince Cristiano Ronaldo to remain with the national team after the captain decided to leave the squad.
According to Reuters, citing Spanish newspaper Marca, Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp on Wednesday after returning to the team hotel to collect his belongings before travelling to the airport for a private flight to Madrid.
Jesus and Proenca reportedly followed the 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward to Copenhagen airport, hoping to change his mind and persuade him to remain with the squad. However, their efforts were unsuccessful, with Ronaldo eventually leaving as planned.
Marca also reported that the Portugal captain had listened to Jesus’ pre-match press conference before making his decision. The newspaper suggested that the coach’s explanation of the situation failed to convince Ronaldo to reconsider his position.
During the press conference, Jesus had played down the disagreement, describing Ronaldo’s frustration as temporary.
He said it was “a moment of frustration that lasts 10, 15 or 20 seconds”, suggesting that the situation would quickly pass.
However, the FPF subsequently confirmed Ronaldo’s departure from the national team camp, while the forward also addressed the development in a statement shared on Instagram.
Ronaldo revealed that his decision followed a conversation with FPF president Proenca, although he stopped short of explaining the precise circumstances behind his departure.
Following the national team manager’s press conference, and after a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have decided to leave the national team camp
the Al-Nassr forward wrote.
In due course, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led to my departure from the national team, to which I have always been fully committed.
His statement has left questions surrounding the circumstances of his exit, with the Portugal captain promising to provide further details at a later date.
The situation adds another layer to the growing tension between Ronaldo and Jesus after the forward was left on the bench for the entirety of Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday.
Jesus had previously confirmed that he held a private conversation with Ronaldo following the match and admitted that the captain was unhappy with him.
He was angry with me, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s water under the bridge
Portugal coach said.
Despite Jesus’ attempts to downplay the disagreement, Ronaldo’s decision to leave the camp and the reported unsuccessful airport meeting involving the coach and FPF president have brought the situation into sharper focus.
The football world will now await Ronaldo’s promised explanation as questions remain over what ultimately led to his departure from the national team.
