Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of the Portugal national team, left the national team's camp hours before their match against Norway in the UEFA Nations League. This decision came after he was not used in the previous game against Norway and sat on the bench. Georges Jesus's reaction, the coach of Portugal, to the statement Ronaldo released after this incident was surprising.
Details of Ronaldo's statement
In his statement, Ronaldo referred to recent events and said that after Portugal's elimination from the last World Cup, he seriously considered retiring from international football and even prepared a farewell message. However, due to the insistence of the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, he retracted this decision.
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This 41-year-old captain also explained that the president of the Football Federation consulted him about the selection of a new head coach, and he told the president that Georges Jesus was a suitable option to lead the Portugal national team. Ronaldo also mentioned that Jesus spoke to him before accepting this position and assured him that he would be an important part of his project with the national team.
Agreements and crises
Ronaldo further revealed that Jesus had suggested he not travel with the national team for the two matches against Norway and Denmark, and instead play in the match against Wales. He did not accept this proposal because he is the captain of the team. Additionally, there was an agreement for his 30-minute participation in the match against Norway, which the coach later retracted.
Ronaldo emphasized that he is ready to accept any punishment that may be imposed on him for leaving the camp. This statement somewhat indicated how critical the communication situation within the Portugal national team has become.
Georges Jesus's reaction
In response to Ronaldo's statement, Georges Jesus told reporters that he had not yet read Ronaldo's statement. He explained that at that time he was busy watching the Portugal U21 team's match in the city of Leiria and would later have the opportunity to read Ronaldo's statement and become aware of the details mentioned in it. This reaction from the coach reflects his unwillingness to engage in controversies and his focus on the team's performance.
Given these circumstances, it seems that Ronaldo's future in the Portugal national team is shrouded in ambiguity, and this issue could have profound effects on the team and its performance in upcoming competitions.
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