"Psychodrama continues." Why Ronaldo left the national team of Portugal

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo left the national team the day before the Nations League match against Denmark. The reason was an acute conflict with head coach Georges Jesouch.

It all started in the match against Norway (2-1). Then 41-year-old Ronaldo for the first time was in reserve for the whole match. After warm-up in the second half, he never came out on the field. After that, the footballer, without thanking the fans, went straight to the dressing room.

The head coach explained after the match that the decision not to release the famous footballer on the field was his personal initiative.

“I'm a coach. I told him that he would not be a major player. If you need his help for 30 minutes, he will come out, if not, stay on the bench. No player, no president, no one in football can influence my decision. Absolutely, quotes the words of Jesus Abola.

Also, Jesos made it clear that Ronaldo is likely to be on the bench again in the upcoming match against Denmark, giving way in the start to Gonzal Ramos.

At the same time, the head coach of the national team told about the absence of a conflict with Ronaldo and that he did not give up training. “No problem. Cristiano said to me, ‘If you want me to play, I’ll play. If you want me to sit on the bench, I'll sit. If you want me to be in the stands, I will be there, Jesos said at a press conference before the match against Denmark.

Things escalated further when Ronaldo missed team training after the game against Norway. Despite his presence at the stadium, he never joined the team after spending time on the bench.

Disagreements and Federation Interference

According to Abola, received from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), the striker returned to the hotel in the van of the organization, as the gym of the stadium did not have the necessary equipment for his individual program.

FPF President Pedro Proenza has arrived in Copenhagen for talks to resolve the situation.

According to SIC Notícias, before the start of the gathering, there was an agreement that Ronaldo will play only in the first and last matches of the Nations League, missing games with Norway and Denmark. However, Jesousz changed those plans, offering Ronaldo a 30-minute exit against Norway.

The failure to comply with the agreement and the subsequent situation were perceived by Ronaldo as an “unfair situation”. “He felt that he was put in an unnecessary situation, that he was in an awkward position, warming up and not going out on the field, although he was not originally supposed to play,” said SIC journalist Nuno Luz.

In connection with the incident, the forward decided to leave the team. According to Marca, Ronaldo is seriously thinking about ending his career in the national team.

The footballer himself subsequently confirmed his departure from the training camp in his social network. “In due course, I will tell the truth to the Portuguese people about the reasons for my departure from the national team to which I have always been loyal,” Ronaldo said.

The newspaper O Jogo reported that Ronaldo made the final decision to end his performances for Portugal. The game against Wales on September 24 was probably the 41-year-old's last time on the pitch.

Leading French newspaper L’Équipe called the situation with Ronaldo “psychodrama”. In recent years, Ronaldo has been criticized for selfishness and the desire to put personal interests above the team. He was even compared to the supervillain Homelander from the series “Boys”.