1st October 2026 – (Lisbon) Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed he had left Portugal’s national team camp on Wednesday, hours after coach Jorge Jesus signalled the 41‑year‑old would again begin on the bench for Thursday’s UEFA Nations League fixture against Denmark in Copenhagen. In a message posted on Instagram, Ronaldo said he would explain his reasons “in due course,” while wishing his team‑mates good luck. The Portuguese Football Federation said only that Ronaldo had departed the camp and that the remaining 24 players would proceed with preparations as planned.
Ronaldo, men’s international football’s all‑time leading scorer with 146 goals, did not feature in Sunday’s 2‑1 victory over Norway and has not trained with the main group since, fuelling speculation of a rift with the head coach. Jorge Jesus rejected that characterisation during his pre‑match news conference, insisting “there was no issue” and that selection decisions apply equally to all players. He noted that forward Gonçalo Ramos was expected to start if plans did not change, while leaving open the possibility of using Ronaldo from the bench if required.
The episode followed a week in which Ronaldo started in Portugal’s 1‑0 win over Wales but was substituted in the 67th minute. Jesus acknowledged it was a mistake to have Ronaldo warm up for an extended period against Norway and then not use him, adding that any player would be disappointed, but stressed that final choices rest with the coach. Federation president Pedro Proença met with both men amid the heightened attention, though officials maintained there was nothing to resolve.
Portugal lead Group A4 with six points from two matches, three ahead of Denmark and Norway, with Wales bottom without a point. Portugal are due to host Norway on Sunday. It was not immediately clear whether Ronaldo’s decision to leave the camp would extend beyond the current international window.