Cristiano Ronaldo departed the Portugal national team training camp on Wednesday evening after national team coach Jorge Jesus informed him he would not be in the starting lineup for the upcoming UEFA Nations League match against Denmark, according to dpa reports.
Departure From Camp Follows Selection Decision
The 41-year-old forward left the team’s headquarters following the selection discussion with Jesus. Team officials confirmed that Ronaldo flew out of Denmark via private jet and landed in Spain later that night.
Following his departure, Ronaldo posted on Instagram stating that he would explain his reasons for leaving the squad after two of their four Nations League fixtures at a later date. Meanwhile, official roster documents released ahead of the Copenhagen match confirm that Rafael Leão will wear the number 7 shirt for Portugal.
Squad Number Reassigned For Copenhagen Fixture
Rafael Leão will take over the iconic jersey number for Thursday’s match against Denmark. Ronaldo, who serves as Portugal’s record appearance maker, originally inherited the number 7 shirt from Luís Figo in 2008 and built his global brand identity around the “CR7” moniker.
The 71-year-old manager previously took charge at Al-Nassr last year, guiding the club and Ronaldo to a Saudi Pro League championship. However, that club relationship did not prevent friction when international selection priorities shifted.
Historical Precedents of Bench Decisions
The situation echoes previous friction between Ronaldo and national team management regarding his role in the starting XI. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, then-coach Fernando Santos informed Ronaldo he would be benched for a knockout match, a decision Santos later noted led to an ice-cold relationship between the two.
While Ronaldo accepted a supporting role during Portugal’s victorious UEFA Euro 2016 campaign—cheering from the sidelines after sustaining an early injury in the final against France—recent years have brought repeated friction whenever coaches have attempted to transition him away from an automatic starting role.
Al-Nassr Manages Ronaldo While Portugal Faces Denmark
Questions now turn to how club management at Al-Nassr will handle the forward’s playing time. While sporting performance metrics could invite similar rotation discussions at the club level, Ronaldo remains a commercial cornerstone for the Saudi League, driving significant visibility and revenue for the competition.
Portugal faces Denmark on Thursday in Copenhagen in their ongoing UEFA Nations League campaign, with official squad lists confirming the altered lineup and shirt assignments as the team plays the tournament without its longtime captain.
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