Portugal coach Jesus talks about the breakup with Ronaldo

Portugal coach Jorge Jesus has denied reports of a rift with Cristiano Ronaldo, saying there was no incident between him and the veteran striker despite the captain’s disappointment at being left on the bench during the team’s 2-1 Nations League win over Norway.

Jesus spoke on Wednesday ahead of Portugal’s Nations League clash with Denmark in Copenhagen, where he sought to play down speculation about his relationship with Ronaldo.

“There was no accident,” Jesus said during his news conference.

The issue emerged after Portugal’s win over Norway in Oslo on Sunday, when Ronaldo remained among the substitutes despite warming up for a significant period during the match.

Ronaldo ultimately did not take the pitch and went straight to the changing rooms after the final whistle instead of joining his teammates to greet the Portuguese fans in the stands.

Ronaldo disappointed after Norway’s victory

Jesus acknowledged that Ronaldo was unhappy to remain on the bench, but said such a reaction was understandable for a player who had prepared to enter the match but was ultimately not used.

“Any player – and I was a player too… when you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then you don’t move on… nobody’s happy about that,” Jesus said.

The coach explained that he had informed Ronaldo before the match that he would not be included in the starting lineup but that he could be introduced in the later stages of the match.

Jesus, however, after evaluating the circumstances of the match, decided not to bring the former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker onto the pitch.

“Then, as a coach, I decided not to take him. There’s nothing to make a fuss about,” he said.

Jesus rejects formative accounts

The Portugal coach also spoke about Ronaldo’s training activities after the match.

Some Portuguese media had suggested that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had refused to train on Tuesday, but Jesus rejected the accusation.

According to the coach, Ronaldo would instead be given individual exercises focused on physical mobility and strengthening.

Jesus said the striker was expected to train normally on Thursday as Portugal continued their preparations for the meeting with Denmark.

However, the manager indicated that Ronaldo could start the match again on the bench, with Milan striker Goncalo Ramos lining up after scoring Portugal’s winning goal against Norway.

Ramos will start against Denmark

Jesus said Ramos would be his preferred option if preparations continue according to plan, leaving open the possibility of Ronaldo being introduced during the match.

“If everything goes according to plan, Goncalo will be the one to play,” Jesus said.

On Ronaldo’s potential involvement, the coach added: “If I need him, he will come in. If I don’t need him, he won’t come.”

The comments came amid growing scrutiny of Ronaldo’s role in the national team as Portugal prepares for another Nations League match.

Ronaldo remains a key figure in Portuguese football and continues to hold the national record for appearances and goals.

At 41, the forward has also indicated that his playing career is nearing its end, announcing over the summer that the current season would “probably” be his last year in football.

Ronaldo remains Portugal’s top scorer

Ronaldo is Portugal’s top scorer and most capped player, with 146 goals in 234 appearances for the national team.

His status as captain and record holder has made his involvement with Portugal a major focus whenever he is left out of the starting line-up.

For Thursday’s match with Denmark, however, Jesus maintained that his decisions regarding Ronaldo will be based on what he believes will be needed during the match.

The manager’s comments aimed to dismiss suggestions of a serious disagreement while acknowledging that Ronaldo, like any player, could be disappointed when he is not selected or inserted after the warm-up.