Piers Morgan has strongly rejected Jorge Jesus’ claims that there was no row involving Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portugal captain left the team’s training camp in Denmark on Wednesday.
Morgan, the British broadcaster known for his close relationship with Ronaldo, responded on social media to comments made by Portugal manager Jesus at the news conference before the match against Denmark.
Jesus had insisted that there was no problem between himself and Ronaldo. Morgan replied simply: “Nonsense. Factcheck: bullsht.”
Morgan later addressed a report in The Times which said Ronaldo had left the Portugal camp after being told that the team’s needs had to take priority over his personal interests.
The report stated that the alleged exchange followed emergency talks aimed at resolving the disagreement between Ronaldo and Jesus.
“That’s not why he walked out, as will become clear when he talks about it,” Morgan wrote.
Ronaldo’s Portugal future in doubt
In a more significant development, Portuguese newspaper O Jogo reported that Ronaldo had made a final decision not to return to the national team, with no prospect of reversing it.
According to the newspaper, Portugal’s match against Wales at Alvalade was the last game Ronaldo played for his country. If confirmed, that would bring an international career spanning many years of achievements and record-breaking figures to an end.
Ronaldo confirmed his departure from the Portugal camp on Wednesday evening, one day before the scheduled match, following a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca.
The Al Nassr forward announced the decision in a statement posted on his official social media accounts.
“After the coach’s news conference, and following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I decided to leave the national team’s camp,” Ronaldo wrote.
He added: “At the right time, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led me to leave the national team, to which I have always devoted myself.”
Ronaldo ended his message by saying: “Now is the time to wish Portugal and all my national-team team-mates, without exception, the best of luck.”
