Bruno Fernandes has called on Portugal’s players, staff and supporters to remain united despite the dispute between Cristiano Ronaldo and manager Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo left the Portugal camp earlier this week after reports that he was unhappy at being named an unused substitute for the 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway. The 41-year-old said he would give his version of events at a later date.
Jesus has declined to discuss the disagreement in detail, saying only that he would never allow a player to dictate his decisions as a coach.
Fernandes captained Portugal in Ronaldo’s absence on Thursday as they beat Denmark 4-2 in an entertaining match. That result gave them three wins from three in Nations League Group A4.
Some supporters have questioned whether Portugal’s attacking football has appeared more fluent without Ronaldo. Since the beginning of 2025, Portugal have won 80% of the matches in which he has not played – four wins and one draw from five games. Their record when he has featured is 10 wins, four draws and three defeats from 17 matches.
Portugal have also averaged 3.4 goals per game without Ronaldo, compared with 1.9 when he has played.
Fernandes, who was previously Ronaldo’s team-mate at Manchester United, said the dispute should not prompt people to take sides. He also stressed that Ronaldo should be recognised as Portugal’s greatest player if his international career has ended.
“I had a conversation with Cristiano, and what I told him, which I’ll repeat here, is this: ‘The most important thing is that, regardless of what happens, Cristiano Ronaldo will never cease to be the greatest symbol of our national team, of our football, and of the country,’” Fernandes told reporters on Saturday.
“He has a reserved place not only among the best of all time, but also in the hearts of all Portuguese people, and the most important thing is that we stop dividing things.
“[The players] are outside this controversy, but what I ask is that the country does not divide itself, does not make choices and respects all sides.
“But, at the same time, Cristiano is and will be the biggest icon of our national team. He deserves everyone’s respect, regardless of who likes him more or less.”
Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 international appearances, more than any other male player in international football history. He and Lionel Messi also became the first players to appear at six different editions of the World Cup this year.
Messi helped Argentina reach a second successive final, scoring eight goals and becoming the first player to start three showpiece matches at FIFA’s flagship tournament. Ronaldo scored three times, with two goals against Uzbekistan in the group stage and a penalty against Croatia in the round of 32.
The penalty against Croatia remains Ronaldo’s only World Cup goal in a knockout-stage match. His other 10 goals at the tournament came during the group stage.
Portugal face Norway again at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao on Sunday. Stale Solbakken’s side have three points from their opening matches.
