Cristiano Ronaldo holds talks with Portugal after being left out against Norway
Ronaldo’s Portugal future back in focus
Cristiano Ronaldo has held a direct conversation with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus after being left on the bench for the entire Nations League victory over Norway.
The meeting came before Portugal’s trip to Denmark and followed an unusual sequence of events for the national-team captain. Ronaldo did not play in Sunday’s 1-0 win, did not train with his teammates on Monday or Tuesday, and no injury or physical problem was reported by the Portuguese Football Federation.
An unusual omission
Ronaldo’s absence against Norway was only the third occasion on which he has been an unused substitute for Portugal. Jesus had previously suggested that the 41-year-old would take part but later said the match situation changed his plans.
“It wasn’t the right moment for Cris to come on,” Jesus said after the match. Ronaldo then went straight down the tunnel at the final whistle rather than joining his teammates in acknowledging the Portuguese supporters. Sources cited in the report said the forward was irritated by not featuring.
The episode was especially notable because Ronaldo has been a near-automatic selection for Portugal for two decades. Jesus had already substituted him after 65 minutes in the preceding win over Wales, explaining that the team needed “fresh legs” and more speed to press the opposition’s centre-backs.
“Whether we like it or not, Cris isn’t like Joao Neves, who is 20 and can play every three days,” Jesus said when explaining his selection decisions.
Clear-the-air conversation
Portuguese media described the situation as an “internal earthquake” and reported that an emergency meeting had been planned involving Ronaldo, Jesus and Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença. The federation indicated that the incident involved a direct conversation between Ronaldo and Jesus rather than a formal three-way meeting.
The relationship between the player and coach had previously been strong. Jesus coached Ronaldo at Al Nassr before taking charge of Portugal and has repeatedly stressed the striker’s importance, whether he starts or not. Ronaldo also appeared to signal that tensions had eased by sharing a photograph of himself in Portugal training gear alongside a heart emoji and the national flag.
Retirement debate continues
Ronaldo’s place in Portugal’s future has become an increasingly prominent topic. He was dropped by Fernando Santos for Portugal’s knockout matches against Switzerland and Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, but Roberto Martinez restored him to the starting XI for all 10 of the nation’s matches at Euro 2024 and the subsequent World Cup finals.
Ronaldo has said he will “probably” retire at the end of next season with his club, but he has not indicated that he intends to leave international football immediately. Before the current international break, he said: “I still believe that I’m able to help the national team to reach what they want and will finish when I feel like I’m not doing anything here.”
He has also complained that some Portuguese broadcasters want him removed from the squad. Despite the criticism and the debate over his role, Ronaldo remains Portugal’s record appearance-maker with 234 caps and its leading scorer with 146 goals. He has played in 12 major tournaments and helped the country win Euro 2016 and Nations League titles in 2019 and 2024.