Chaos reigns within the Portuguese national team just a few hours before their Nations League match against Denmark.

Cristiano Ronaldo left the “Parken” in a vehicle belonging to the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) before the start of the team’s final training session, surprising both FPF officials and his teammates.

The 41-year-old forward did not participate in training for the second consecutive day. The FPF had earlier confirmed his absence from Wednesday’s session without providing an explanation, while on Tuesday he had attributed his absence to a lack of specific equipment at the stadium gym in Malmö.

This new development, however, came after a press conference by Jorge Jesus, who had previously announced Ronaldo’s return to training. The Portuguese coach also made it clear that he is solely responsible for the team’s decisions and that no player will influence his tactical choices.

In fact, Jesus openly confirmed that Gonçalo Ramos will be in the starting lineup for the match against Denmark. According to reports in “A Bola,” these comments appear to have upset Ronaldo, leading to his early departure from the stadium.

Within the team, this development came as a surprise. Although his teammates had noticed in recent days that the captain was not entirely satisfied, they did not expect the situation to reach this point.

Pedro Proença Steps In

Given the risk that Ronaldo might leave the squad, the Portuguese Football Federation has launched an effort to defuse the situation.

According to the same report, FPF President Pedro Proença has personally taken charge of managing the crisis and is at the national team’s hotel, attempting to speak directly with Ronaldo.

His goal is to defuse the situation, prevent the captain from leaving the squad, and restore calm within the team ahead of a particularly important match.

Meanwhile, reports in Portugal indicate that Ronaldo’s private jet has already departed for Copenhagen, fueling speculation about his possible withdrawal from the squad.

Portugal faces Denmark on Thursday in Copenhagen, with the situation surrounding its captain remaining the focus of attention just a few hours before kickoff.

*photo source: AP