Cristiano Ronaldo missed Portugal training for a third consecutive day, leaving the team’s camp in Copenhagen shortly after manager Jorge Jesus said the captain would take part in the session.
The 41-year-old departed Parken Stadium on Wednesday in a car belonging to the Portuguese Football Federation, according to Portuguese newspaper A Bola. His team-mates had begun arriving on the pitch, with the exception of Francisco Conceicao, when Ronaldo left.
Record published video footage of the forward’s departure.
Ronaldo’s absence came minutes after Jesus spoke at a news conference before Portugal’s match against Denmark. The manager said Ronaldo had worked in the gym on Tuesday and would train on Wednesday, while also suggesting he might remain among the substitutes.
“Yesterday, he did not refuse to train. Francisco Conceicao did not train because he was injured, and Joao Felix because we tried to reduce his fatigue, while Cristiano worked in the gym,” Jesus said.
“Today he will train. It is the fourth day, so he will train.”
Jesus also insisted he alone would decide whether Ronaldo played against Denmark and confirmed Goncalo Ramos would start.
“I can promise whatever I want. I am the coach,” he said. “I told the player he would not start the match and would be on the bench. If I need him for 30 minutes, he will play. If I do not need him, he will not play.
“No player will change my thinking – not him or anyone else in football, not even a president. That will never happen.”
Ronaldo’s latest absence
Unlike Tuesday’s session in Malmo, Sweden, when Ronaldo appeared on the pitch and stayed for several minutes before training began, he did not go out for Wednesday’s session.
He later returned to Portugal’s team hotel in a federation vehicle. The federation had previously said the gym at Malmo’s stadium did not contain the specialist equipment required for Ronaldo’s individual training programme, forcing him to go back to the hotel.
There has been no official explanation for his failure to train on Wednesday, despite Jesus confirming only minutes earlier that he would participate.
Joao Felix was among those to return to training on the eve of the Denmark game. Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca was also present in the stands, while Jesus confirmed that Francisco Conceicao would miss the Nations League third-round fixture.
How the dispute began
The tension followed Ronaldo’s treatment in Portugal’s match against Norway, when he remained on the bench throughout despite earlier comments from Jesus that he would play even if he did not start.
After Portugal’s victory, Ronaldo went directly to the dressing room and did not join the other substitutes on the pitch during the following day’s training.
He later went to the training ground, Elida, and walked onto the pitch alone before leaving shortly afterwards. The federation said he returned to the hotel because the stadium gym lacked the equipment needed for his personal programme.
Proenca changed his plans, missing Portugal Under-21s’ match to return to Denmark for an urgent meeting with Jesus and Ronaldo. The meeting took place at Portugal’s hotel in Malmo on Wednesday morning and was described as calm and friendly.
Jesus and Ronaldo had also met on Tuesday evening to exchange views and try to contain the tension that followed the Norway match.
