Ronaldo quits Portugal camp after being benched as talks continue with Jorge Jesus
October 5, 2026 12:30
Cristiano Ronaldo has left the Portugal squad after being told he would not start the next match under coach Jorge Jesus. The Al-Nassr forward was an unused substitute against Norway after warming up during the game — the first time he had remained unused in a Portugal match for 18 years — and did not walk out with team-mates at the final whistle.
Ronaldo then left the training camp and posted on social media: "In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated."
CONTEXT
Jesus replaced Roberto Martinez as Portugal manager after the World Cup and had previously managed Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. Ronaldo, 41, had started Portugal's 1-0 win over Wales before being told he would be on the bench for Norway. He has scored 146 goals and won 234 caps for Portugal — figures described in the source as world records.
Portugal FA president Pedro Proenca flew to Copenhagen, landing at 02:30, in an attempt to resolve the situation but was unable to reach an agreement. Proenca said: "He is in the national team on sporting merit, and that must be unquestionable. We have to pay tribute to Ronaldo."
Jorge Jesus has said there was no falling out but confirmed Ronaldo would not start the following game against Denmark. He added: "If he wants to, he'll return to the national team. We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who's going to decide. He's the one who should decide how he wants to end his time with the national team."
Reaction to the row has been sharply divided: social media has seen many supporters defend Ronaldo and criticise Jesus, while other fans and much of Portugal's media have criticised Ronaldo's behaviour. Football writer Guillem Balague — who wrote a book about Ronaldo in 2015 — commented on the episode, saying: "There are tacit rules in football: you don't do that to Pele, to Diego Maradona, to Lionel Messi, to Cristiano, right? That's what he's seen, that you don't do that to those kind of players."
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Talks between Ronaldo, his representatives and the Portuguese Football Federation are ongoing as they seek a solution. Portugal's next match against Denmark in November has been identified in the source as the immediate timeline for any decision on Ronaldo's international future.