Portugal issues official statement over Ronaldo walkout
Portugal have officially reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo's sudden departure from the national team camp.
Details: The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed that the 41-year-old captain has left the squad, bringing another dramatic twist to the situation surrounding Ronaldo and head coach Jorge Jesus. The episode unfolded on the eve of Portugal's UEFA Nations League meeting with Denmark after several days of intense attention around Ronaldo's role in the team.
Portugal addressed the situation with a brief official statement:
“Cristiano Ronaldo has left the national team camp. Our preparations for the next games continue with our 24 players with maximum focus on the results”.
The federation's message came after Ronaldo announced that he had decided to leave the camp following Jorge Jesus' press conference and a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença. The captain said he would explain the reasons behind his decision to the Portuguese public in due course.
Portugal are now continuing their preparations without Ronaldo. Jorge Jesus' side are scheduled to face Denmark in Copenhagen on October 1 before hosting Norway on October 4 in the UEFA Nations League. The federation's statement did not announce Ronaldo's retirement from international football.
It is worth noting that Ronaldo remains the all-time leading scorer and appearance-maker in men's international football. UEFA currently lists the Portuguese forward at 146 goals in 234 appearances for his national team.
Reminder: Finally! Jorge Jesus broke his silence on Ronaldo
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
