SoccerSep 30
Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp ahead of Denmark clash
Cristiano Ronaldo says he will explain his departure later after Jorge Jesus outlined plans to start Gonçalo Ramos in Copenhagen.
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Departure follows selection decision
Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s camp before Thursday’s Nations League match against Denmark, announcing his decision after coach Jorge Jesus said he did not intend to start the striker. The 41-year-old confirmed his departure on Wednesday following a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença. Ronaldo said he would explain his reasons later and wished his teammates well for the match in Copenhagen. His announcement followed a spell away from group training after he remained unused in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Norway. Ronaldo also missed Wednesday’s practice.
Jesus denies a rift
Before Ronaldo announced his exit, Jesus maintained that there was no dispute between them and said Gonçalo Ramos was expected to lead the attack against Denmark. He had left open the possibility of using Ronaldo from the bench if the match required it. Jesus said Ronaldo had accepted his authority over selection and had not refused to train. The coach acknowledged that he had expected to give Ronaldo playing time against Norway but changed course because of how the game developed. He also accepted that leaving Ronaldo warming up for an extended period without bringing him on was a mistake that would frustrate any player. However, he maintained that selection decisions remained his responsibility. Jesus said a meeting involving Ronaldo and Proença had addressed the attention surrounding the situation, rather than resolved any conflict.
Portugal turn attention to Denmark
Ronaldo had started Portugal’s 1-0 win against Wales last Thursday before being replaced in the 67th minute. Portugal now head into the Denmark fixture without their record scorer, who has 146 international goals and is pursuing 1,000 career goals. His reasons for leaving remain unexplained.
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