Jorge Jesus has enjoyed an impressive start to his tenure as Portugal’s head coach, guiding the national side to victories over Wales and Norway in the UEFA Nations League. Yet, as the squad prepares for Thursday’s away fixture in Denmark, the focus has shifted to a tense "crisis" meeting involving captain Cristiano Ronaldo. The 41‑year‑old forward, who has been a fixture in Portugal’s starting XI since his debut in 2003, sat out the entire 1‑0 win against Norway on Sunday and did not join his teammates for training sessions on Monday or Tuesday.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has offered no explanation in terms of injury or fitness concerns, leaving fans and pundits to speculate about the reasons behind his exclusion. Ronaldo’s standing within the national team has been a subject of intense debate for several years. After two decades as an automatic starter, he was surprisingly left out of the starting lineup by former coach Fernando Santos during Portugal’s knockout matches at the 2022 World Cup against Switzerland and Morocco. His successor, Roberto Martinez, reinstated him, and Ronaldo started every one of Portugal’s ten games in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 as well as the summer World Cup finals.
While his long‑time rival Lionel Messi, now 39, is set to make his final appearance for Argentina next week, there is no indication that Ronaldo, who currently plies his trade with Al Nassr, intends to retire from international duty anytime soon. In a recent interview he said he would "probably" hang up his club boots at the end of the season in June, but insisted that he still believes he can contribute to the national side.
When asked whether he had contemplated retirement after the World Cup, Ronaldo replied, "I'm a thinker. You have to think. This is why you see me here now. It means I will continue.
I had a conversation with the FPF president and our coach. I still believe I can help the team achieve its goals, and I will step away only when I feel I no longer add value." During the Wales match, Ronaldo registered seven attempts without finding the net before being substituted in the 65th minute for Gonçalo Ramos. Coach Jesus defended the decision, saying fresh legs were needed to press the Welsh centre‑backs and provide more speed in the defensive line. Three days later, against Norway, Ronaldo remained on the bench for the entire game.
Jesus explained, "Whether we like it or not, Cris isn’t like João Neves, who is 20 and can play every three days." Initially, Jesus had indicated that Ronaldo would be involved in the Norway fixture, albeit not as a starter. However, once the final whistle blew in Oslo, the captain walked straight from the substitute bench down the tunnel, bypassing the customary acknowledgment of the Portuguese supporters in the stands. Jesus later admitted that the timing of the match made it "not the right moment for Cris to come on," and the evolving state of play prompted a change of heart. Anonymous sources speaking to The Athletic claim that Ronaldo was visibly frustrated by the lack of playing time, noting that this was only the third occasion he has been an unused substitute for Portugal – the previous instances being a Euro 2008 group game (after qualification was already secured) and a friendly against Croatia ahead of Euro 2024.
The relationship between Jesus and Ronaldo has generally been professional and mutually respectful. Prior to taking over the national team, Jesus spent a season coaching Ronaldo at Al Nassr, leading the Saudi club to a league title. He has said that his move to Saudi Arabia was largely motivated by Ronaldo’s invitation and his willingness to work with the star striker. Nevertheless, Portuguese sports daily Record described the recent episode as an "internal earthquake." On Tuesday, Ronaldo posted a photo of himself in national‑team training gear, accompanied by a heart emoji and the Portuguese flag, hinting at a desire to mend fences.
The following day, another newspaper, A Bola, featured the headline "situacao de crise" (crisis situation) on its front page, while B24 reported that an "emergency" meeting had been arranged involving Ronaldo, Jesus, and FPF president Pedro Proença. According to the federation, the gathering was less a formal meeting and more a direct conversation between the coach and the captain, reflecting the deep respect they hold for each other. Publicly, Jesus has emphasized Ronaldo’s importance to Portugal regardless of whether he steps onto the pitch, stating that the veteran remains a pivotal figure for the squad. At the start of the international break, Ronaldo himself acknowledged that some segments of the Portuguese public and certain media outlets have questioned his continued presence in the team.
He said, "I feel the Portuguese fans like me, but I understand that some TV channels want to criticize me. They've tried to kill me, but only with a shotgun. They are dying for me not to come to the national team anymore." Ronaldo’s statistics are unrivaled: 234 caps and 146 goals make him the most‑capped player and top scorer in Portuguese history.
He has appeared in twelve major tournaments, lifting the Euro 2016 trophy and securing Nations League titles in 2019 and 2024. In sum, while Ronaldo’s legacy as a national icon is unquestionable, the conversation about his future with Portugal persists. The emergency discussion with Jesus and the federation aims to clear any misunderstandings and determine a path forward that balances respect for the legend with the evolving needs of the team. This story originally appeared in The Athletic.