What went on behind the scenes before Cristiano Ronaldo felt let down and left the Portugal team
Cristiano Ronaldo’s close friend has shared that Ronaldo has left the Portugal national team because he feels “betrayed.” The team captain and top scorer was very upset after being benched during Portugal’s win over Norway and quickly left the stadium right after the match ended.
Before their next game against Denmark, Ronaldo skipped training in Malmo and worked out alone in the hotel gym instead. Reports say there was an urgent meeting with Ronaldo, coach Fernando Santos, and the Portuguese Football Federation president, Pedro Proenca, who even changed his plans to try to sort things out.
Even though the meeting went well, Ronaldo still left the training camp before the Denmark game, and his future with the national team now looks unclear.
Coach Santos made it clear in a press conference that the team comes first. He said, “I’m the coach, and I told the player he wouldn’t play. I’ll put him on the bench—if I need him for 30 minutes, he’ll play, if not, he won’t. No player is bigger than the team, not him or anyone else, not even the president.”
In a special report, journalist Edu Aguirre explained that Ronaldo feels hurt by what has happened. Aguirre said Santos privately asked Ronaldo for forgiveness and planned to apologize publicly, but that didn’t happen during the press conference. Ronaldo felt some things said were unfair and seemed like Santos was trying to show he’s in charge.
Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr, decided to go back home and won’t be playing in the Nations League games against Denmark and Norway. His sister, Elma dos Santos Aveiro, criticized how he was treated in a strong Instagram post that hinted he might retire from international football.
Ronaldo also posted a statement on Instagram saying he left the team after the press conference and a meeting with the federation president. He promised to explain the reasons for his departure to all Portuguese fans when the time is right.
However, Ronaldo’s actions could lead to punishment since rules say players who skip national team activities without a good reason can be suspended for up to six months. According to ESPN, the Portuguese Football Federation can fine players between 500 and 1,000 euros and suspend them if they leave or miss training or games without permission.