Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s national team camp ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Nations League match against Denmark, following days of speculation about tensions between the veteran forward and coach Jorge Jesus.
The 41-year-old announced his departure on Wednesday after Jesus confirmed that Ronaldo would not start against Denmark.
Ronaldo had also been left on the bench during Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway, fueling speculation about a disagreement between the player and his new coach.
Ronaldo says he will reveal reasons later
Ronaldo said he made the decision to leave the training camp following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation.
“After the press conference of the national team, and following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have made the decision to leave the national team training camp,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram, according to ESPN.
He added that he would explain his reasons to the Portuguese public “in due course”.
Ronaldo had not trained with the squad since Sunday.
Jesus denies dispute with Ronaldo
Jesus earlier said Goncalo Ramos was expected to start against Denmark and rejected suggestions that there was a dispute between him and Ronaldo.
“It seems like there was an issue between us, but there was no issue. I’m the one who makes the decisions and everybody knows that,” Jesus told reporters.
Ronaldo’s decision to leave came shortly after the coach’s comments.
Ronaldo’s international future unclear
Ronaldo remains the leading scorer in men’s international football, with 146 goals for Portugal.
It is not yet clear whether his departure will be limited to the current international break or whether it will affect his availability for future Portugal matches.
