Luka Modric shares his one wish for Cristiano Ronaldo in a clear and honest message about a surprising statement
Luka Modric recently shared his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo’s big statement, showing support for his former Real Madrid teammate.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp on Wednesday, September 30, after coach Jorge Jesus decided not to play him in their 2-1 win over Norway. Later, Ronaldo met with Jesus and the Portuguese Football Federation president, Pedro Proença. After that, the 41-year-old shared on social media that he was leaving the camp.
Last week, Ronaldo said he would explain why he left the camp. Then on October 6, he posted a long statement saying Jesus had broken his trust several times. The main problem was that Jesus told him he wouldn’t travel with the team to Norway and Denmark. Ronaldo disagreed, saying that wouldn’t set a good example for his teammates. He also said he was asked to think about retiring from international football and wanted a farewell match to say goodbye properly to the fans.
Because he left the camp without permission, Ronaldo could be banned for one to six months. But Modric hopes Ronaldo can come back and get a proper farewell with the national team.
After Portugal’s 2-1 loss to Spain in the Nations League, Modric said, “No, I haven’t talked to him. It’s hard for me to say anything because I don’t know all the details. I haven’t followed it closely because I’m focused on my own things here. It’s sad to see this happen in his own country. I hope it gets fixed because Cristiano is Portugal’s greatest player and deserves a proper goodbye with the national team.”
Modric added, “I think they will find a solution. Whether he retires or not, he should have a farewell that shows how much he means to the country.”
When asked about Ronaldo’s statement, Jesus didn’t say much, as he hadn’t read it yet. “I was watching the Portugal U21 game in Leiria. Now I’ll read the statement. I have nothing to say,” he told reporters.
Ronaldo’s actions have divided fans in Portugal, the country’s greatest player. Ideally, the 41-year-old would return for one last game so fans could send him off properly. Lionel Messi had a special farewell during his final Argentina game—a 3-0 win over Benin. It’s still unclear if Ronaldo is ready to move past his anger and repair his relationship with Jesus.