Cristiano Ronaldo missed training after being left out against Norway, leading to a quick team meeting.
An emergency meeting is being set up to sort out the situation with Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal after he was left out in the win over Norway. Ronaldo, who is Portugal’s captain and top scorer, played in the 1-0 win against Wales but then didn’t get on the field during the 2-1 win.
Right after the Norway game ended, Ronaldo looked upset and went straight down to the away team’s dressing room in Oslo. Portugal still has two more Nations League games coming up, but things got more complicated when it came out that Ronaldo didn’t take part in training before the Denmark match.
According to Abola, Ronaldo didn’t train with the team at the Eleda Stadion in Malmo. He showed up in training clothes about 30 minutes before the session but then talked with coach Jorge Jesus, left, and went back to the hotel to do a gym workout. The Portuguese Football Federation said the stadium gym didn’t have the right equipment Ronaldo needed.
This has raised some concerns, and Pedro Proenca, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, is on his way to Copenhagen to help fix the issue. He was supposed to watch the Under-21 team play Gibraltar on Wednesday but changed plans quickly.
Proenca avoided questions from reporters at Humberto Delgado Airport and is ready to meet with both Jesus and Ronaldo on Wednesday. Abola says Ronaldo and Jesus already had a talk that “went well and left a positive impression,” with hopes it will “cool down the tension since the Norway game.” Record also says the two reached an agreement about the Norway controversy after a private meeting.
Still, talks with Proenca will happen as he wants to understand everything clearly. Ronaldo hasn’t spoken publicly but posted a photo on Instagram wearing a Portugal tracksuit with his country’s flag and a heart emoji.
Portugal legend Figo has also joined the conversation, supporting coach Jesus. He said that even though Ronaldo is a huge star with five Ballon d’Or awards, the coach is the one who has to make decisions for the national team. “The coach is responsible,” Figo told ESPN. “It’s up to him to decide the future and what’s best for the team, not just because of Ronaldo’s status.”
Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds!