Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo situation, Jorge Jesus explains

01.10.26 14:45 UEFA Nations League A

Denmark

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Portugal

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After yesterday’s events and the emergency crisis meeting held with the president of the Portuguese federation, Jorge Jesus spoke at a press conference on the eve of the clash with Denmark.

At 41 years old and despite having earned 234 caps (146 goals), Cristiano Ronaldo had said that he was ready to do whatever Jorge Jesus asked him to do. However, he did not appreciate being left on the bench against Norway in the Nations League. His displeasure forced the president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) to urgently change his schedule and travel to Denmark on Tuesday evening to hold an emergency meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo and his coach.

Right from the outset in front of the press, the coach wanted to set the record straight before answering questions about his emblematic captain. “I would like to start with an introduction. The most important thing is the objective of what we are going to experience in Copenhagen. It is respect for the opponent: we are going to face a formidable opponent. Our mission is to win the Nations League. I don’t have just one player, I have 23. You can ask all the questions you want about any player. As for Ronaldo, one question is not enough. Three is too many. I only allow two questions about Ronaldo. Ronaldo is not the main reason for my presence here. What matters is Denmark,” he declared.

He then returned to his decision not to use Cristiano Ronaldo against Norway. “It is true that I reached an agreement with him; we drew up a plan, as we did with Bruno Fernandes, and I told Cris’ that he would play neither the match in Norway nor the one against Denmark, because I worked with Cris’ for a year. I did not arrive in the national team three months ago to get to know Cris’. I know Cris’ physical capabilities perfectly well.(…) I am not the kind of coach who, as soon as I sit on the bench, is already thinking about the 60th minute and the substitution I am going to make. I had agreed with him that he would not play in the first two matches, but during the match I thought I might need him in the final minutes. But the match dictated something else to me and I did not bring him on. That is the truth. (…) During the match, I thought I might need him and that he would warm up. Then I did not bring him on. No player is happy when he warms up for 20 or 30 minutes and then does not come into the game. No one is happy. Cris’ even less so. (…) What did I promise? As I said, I was not going to bring him on, but before the match I said: ‘Cris’, if I need you, you will play for 20 or 30 minutes,’ and he replied, ‘Okay.’ Once on the pitch, I asked him to warm up in the 45th minute; I did not know what I was going to do. That is where I made a mistake—I should have had him warm up about 15 minutes later. I did not know what was going to happen, I started watching the match and I did not bring him on,” he explained.

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Jesus also addressed CR7’s absence from training: “He did not refuse to train. Francisco Conceição, who was injured, and João Félix did not train, while Cris’ did strength training. He did mobility exercises on the pitch, followed by strengthening exercises at the hotel. He did not refuse. He will train today. He did not refuse to train. That is impossible. That is not Cris’. Do you think a player for a national team would refuse to train?”

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

Related teams and leagues

Denmark

Portugal

UEFA Nations League A