The story, which began with the decision to bench Cristiano Ronaldo, quickly turned into one of the biggest soap operas surrounding the Portuguese national team, starring the 41-year-old superstar and Jorge Jesus.
It all began after Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway. Ronaldo remained on the bench for the entire match, even though he had warmed up. Jesus explained that he initially intended to bring him on in the second half, but the way the game unfolded changed the situation, and he ultimately decided not to put him in the game. The sight of Ronaldo on the bench and his departure for the locker room after the final whistle raised many questions.
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The situation took on greater significance the following day when Ronaldo did not participate in Portugal’s training session. The federation maintained that there was no injury and stated that the captain was following an individual workout program in the gym, while his absence was attributed to a lack of specific equipment. At the same time, Ronaldo posted a photo wearing the national team jersey, publicly demonstrating his connection to the team.
Meanwhile, these developments led to a meeting between Ronaldo and Jesus, attended by the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proença. The meeting was held to clarify the situation following the incident with Norway and the tension that had arisen around the captain.
Jesus, however, offered a different perspective on the matter. As he stated, the Portuguese media pressured him to speak with Ronaldo, even though he himself believed there was no real problem. In fact, he revealed that Ronaldo told him it was up to the coach to decide: if he wants to play, he’ll play; if he doesn’t, he won’t—even if he wants to be on the bench. Jesus maintained that after dinner, everything had already been cleared up and that “the problem wasn’t even a problem.”
However, the saga didn’t end there. Ahead of the match against Denmark, Jesus stated that Ronaldo would train as usual, but at the same time announced that Gonzalo Ramos would start and that Ronaldo would only be used if necessary. Shortly afterward, CR7 left the field without participating in training, sparking a new wave of reactions.
What followed was even more dramatic. Ronaldo officially announced that he was leaving the Portuguese national team. He emphasized that he made the decision following Jesus’s press conference and his discussion with the federation president, while making it clear that he remains committed to the national team. At the same time, he kept his cards close to his chest, stating that “when the time is right,” he will tell the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons for his departure.
Thus, a decision by Jesus to leave Ronaldo on the bench turned into utter chaos: from questions about his participation, to his absence from practice, the meeting with the coach and the federation, Jesus’s statements that “there was no problem,” and, finally, to Ronaldo’s own departure from the squad. And now, everyone is waiting for his version of events.
*photo source: AP
