Renato Veiga says he shares a close relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo but has been told not to comment on the controversy surrounding the Portugal captain’s departure.
Speaking after Portugal’s away win against Denmark, Veiga was asked about Ronaldo in the mixed zone. The midfielder said the Portuguese Football Federation had instructed him not to discuss the issue and apologised when reporters returned to the subject.
“Ronaldo and I are very close, and he knows I have deep affection for him, but I’ve been instructed not to talk about this, so…” Veiga said.
When pressed for a further response, he added: “I cannot talk about it. I’m sorry, I cannot talk.”
During the exchange, Veiga repeatedly looked towards the press officer.
Veiga praises Portugal’s performance
Veiga described Portugal’s display against Denmark as excellent, while stopping short of calling it the team’s best performance of the training camp.
“In such a difficult away game against a very tough opponent, we played an excellent match,” he said.
“We’ve played here before and encountered difficulties. In this game, the whole team performed very well, and we played exceptionally.
“But I don’t know if this was our best game because we’ve played great in all three matches. There’s one more game left in this training camp.”
Veiga said Portugal had made progress in implementing the coach’s instructions and that the team’s preparation time had helped improve their performances.
“We have played here before, and it was not easy then, so today’s performance is even more commendable,” he said.
“We played very well, and we are implementing the coach’s requirements better and better. We also have more time to train, and now we need to focus on the next game.”
‘Representing Portugal is the greatest honour’
Veiga also spoke about his commitment to playing for the national team, having previously discussed the subject before Portugal’s match against Norway.
“As I said before the match against Norway, I strive every day to do my best, whether for the club or for the Portuguese national team,” he said.
“For me, as a Portuguese player, representing Portugal is the greatest honour. Every time I put on the Portuguese jersey, I cherish it immensely.
“It makes me very proud, and I will continue to work hard to keep improving.”
