Ronaldo departs Portugal camp after coach says he won't start clash with Denmark

[p][b]"Following the national team coach’s press conference, and after a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have decided to leave the national team’s training camp," [/b]said Ronaldo.[/p][p][b]"In due time, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons behind my departure from the national team, to which I have always been fully committed.[/b][/p][p][b]"Now is the time to wish Portugal and all my teammates, without exception, the best of luck."[/b][/p][embed guid="435dacc0-1240-4e0c-8571-1510d92d0743" url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd6_Xz6A_Um/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" social-type="instagram" /][p]Portugal's head coach, Jorge Jesus, revealed at a press conference the day before the match that the plan was not for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ronaldo-cristiano/WGOY4FSt/"]Cristiano Ronaldo[/a] to take the field for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] in Thursday's meeting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denmark/0KUdxQVi/"]Denmark[/a].[/p][p]While the experienced coach would not rule out the possibility of Ronaldo coming on as a substitute, he said the star would not be in the starting lineup against Denmark. [/p][p]He was asked if he had spoken to Ronaldo about playing, for instance, 30 minutes. [b]"Of course I have - and perhaps even more. Ronaldo is never going to change my ideas. If I say he isn't coming on, then he isn't coming on,"[/b] said Jesus.[/p][p]Following the manager's comments, and just as the Portuguese team was about to begin a final preparatory training session at Parken on Wednesday evening, Ronaldo was seen leaving the stadium. Jorge Jesus had previously stated at the press conference that Ronaldo would take part in training. [/p][p][b]Furthermore, it was reported that Ronaldo's private plane was flying to Copenhagen on Wednesday night, suggesting that he was going to leave the camp altogether.[/b][/p][embed guid="1d7a43cd-5a36-4d32-a82c-9746b73259a4" url="https://x.com/KalshiFC/status/2105347670067867813" social-type="twitter" /][h2]"I am the coach. I set the agenda."[/h2][p]At Wednesday's press conference, the head coach began by saying he was willing to answer one or two questions about Ronaldo, but that three was too many. The Portuguese journalists did not accept that premise, and the conversation focused almost exclusively on Ronaldo for over half an hour.[/p][p][b]"This is about Denmark, not Ronaldo. We have come here to face a good opponent," [/b]said Jorge Jesus.[/p][p]Speaking in a firm voice and using emphatic gestures, the coach repeatedly stressed that he is the one in charge. [b]"Ronaldo isn't going to play just because everyone is talking about him."[/b][/p][p][b]"I am the coach. I set the agenda."[/b][/p][p]Jesus was asked whether he had told Ronaldo he was not allowed to train with the squad, given that the 41-year-old had not taken part in team training sessions over the past few days. The coach dismissed this as a "crazy" claim: [b]"Ronaldo is welcome to train with the team." [/b][/p][h2]Norway fall-out[/h2][p]Prior to announcing that Ronaldo wouldn't start against Denmark, Jesus opted to leave the Al Nassr player on the bench for the entirety of Portugal's 2-1 win over Norway.[/p][p]There was already talk of discontent after this, with Ronaldo walking straight down the tunnel when the full-time whistle was blown instead of walking onto the pitch to applaud the fans with the rest of the squad.[/p][embed guid="4ec6969a-157a-4514-b8c7-6b036c4bd137" url="https://x.com/joaohartley/status/2104482244752818361" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was widely reported that Jesus had promised to bring him on for the final 30 minutes of the match, but despite having him warm up, he chose not to use him at all.[/p][p]After he then didn't train with the team in the following days, the president of Portugal's football association travelled to Copenhagen in an attempt to ease the tensions between the player and the manager.[/p][p]However, such an attempt seems to have been ultimately unsuccessful. [/p]