Portuguese journalist Rui Santos has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo is not planning to return to the Portugal national team as long as Jorge Jesus is the coach. This comes after Ronaldo was left on the bench during Portugal's first match against Norway on September 27. The decision to leave Ronaldo on the bench was a surprise, as he has been a key player for the team for 18 years.
Ronaldo's reaction to being benched was swift, as he missed three training sessions and left the national team's training camp before two upcoming matches. He then traveled to Spain on his private jet. Despite Jesus' efforts to calm the situation, Santos claims that Ronaldo is not willing to return to the team as long as Jesus is the coach.
According to Santos, Ronaldo was particularly upset with Jesus' comments, especially when the coach said that no one should apologize to him and that he makes the decisions on which players to call up. Santos claims that Ronaldo saw Jesus' comments as an attempt to bring him back to the team, but also as a demonstration of the coach's authority in selecting players.
Despite the ongoing tensions, Jesus has stated that Ronaldo still has a place in the national team. After Portugal's win against Norway, Jesus said that everything is still possible and that Ronaldo's future with the team is not closed. He also emphasized that there are no hard feelings towards Ronaldo and that the issue can be resolved through dialogue.
Jesus stressed that Ronaldo's status as a Portuguese legend means that his situation is being handled differently than that of other players. However, he also emphasized that Ronaldo's absence from the team should not create a problem. Portugal has been on a winning streak since Jesus took over as coach in July, with four consecutive wins.
Ronaldo's situation has also led to speculation that he may face disciplinary action, including a possible six-month ban from playing for Portugal. The player has hinted that he will reveal the truth about his departure from the national team in the future. On Instagram, Ronaldo stated that he made the decision to leave the training camp after Jesus' comments to the press and his conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president.
Ronaldo concluded by wishing Portugal and his teammates good luck in their upcoming matches. The situation has created uncertainty around Ronaldo's future with the national team, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold. Portugal's next matches will be crucial in determining the team's performance without Ronaldo.
Key points
- Cristiano Ronaldo will not return to Portugal's national team as long as Jorge Jesus is the coach.
- Ronaldo was left on the bench during Portugal's first match against Norway, leading to a rift with Jesus.
- Jesus has stated that Ronaldo still has a place in the national team, but the player's return is uncertain.
