Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp in stunning exit at age 41
Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed Wednesday, Sept. 30, that he has left Portugal’s national team camp in Copenhagen, Denmark, and will miss Thursday’s UEFA Nations League match against Denmark. Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp hours after coach Jorge Jesus said the 41-year-old forward would not start the game, ESPN reported.
Ronaldo was an unused substitute in Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday, Sept. 27, and headed straight down the tunnel at the final whistle instead of celebrating with his teammates, according to Sporting News. He did not train with the group in the days that followed.
Why Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp now
Ronaldo announced the decision on Instagram. “After the press conference of the national team, and following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have made the decision to leave the national team training camp,” he wrote, according to ESPN. He added that “in due course” he would explain his reasons to the Portuguese public.
The federation said only that Ronaldo had left and that preparations would continue with the remaining 24 players. Portuguese outlets Record and A Bola reported that Ronaldo, Jesus and federation president Pedro Proença met Wednesday in Copenhagen, and Jesus said the three-way talk was normal.
What Jesus said as Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp
Before Ronaldo’s announcement, Jesus played down talk of a feud. He told reporters it is routine for Ronaldo to skip training a day or two after a match. “He never refused anything,” Jesus said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “Don’t try to make a fuss where there isn’t one. It was a coach’s decision, I had a plan.”
Jesus also said the “rules are the same for everyone” and that Gonçalo Ramos would start up front against Denmark, ESPN reported. “I’m the one who makes the decisions and everybody knows that,” he said.
Jesus acknowledged he had told Ronaldo before the Norway match that he would likely come off the bench, then changed course because of how the game unfolded. He said it was a mistake to keep Ronaldo warming up for so long without using him and that any player would be upset by that, ESPN reported. He did not apologize, though. “I can promise whatever I want, I’m the coach,” Jesus said. “No player will ever make a decision for me.”
Ronaldo’s exit also pauses his chase of 1,000 career goals. ESPN’s goal tracker lists him at 978.
The federation said Malmo’s training facility, which Portugal used before crossing into Denmark, lacked the equipment Ronaldo needed for individual work, per Sporting News.
Context
Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp less than three months after Jesus replaced Roberto Martínez following the 2026 World Cup. He coached Ronaldo at Saudi club Al Nassr during the 2025-26 season. Ronaldo started Jesus’ first match in charge, a 1-0 win over Wales on Thursday, Sept. 24, and came off in the second half.
Ronaldo is the most-capped men’s international player in history and the all-time leading men’s international scorer with 146 goals. In an August interview with Vogue, he said, “This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy.”
What’s next
Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp with the team atop Nations League Group A4 with six points from two matches, three ahead of Denmark and Norway, according to ESPN. After Thursday’s match in Copenhagen, Portugal host Norway on Sunday, Oct. 4. It is unclear whether Ronaldo’s absence extends beyond this international window.
For more coverage, see our World Cup Group K preview on Ronaldo’s last run, our look at Ronaldo’s march toward 1,000 goals and the latest soccer news.