Jorge Jesus has begun his tenure as Portugal's head coach on a high note, guiding the national side to victories over Wales and Norway in the UEFA Nations League. Yet, as the squad prepares for Thursday's clash in Denmark, the atmosphere has been dominated by a so‑called "crisis" meeting involving captain Cristiano Ronaldo. The 41‑year‑old forward, who has been a fixture in Portugal's starting eleven since his debut in 2003, was conspicuously absent from the action in Sunday's 1‑0 win over Norway. He did not set foot on the pitch and, unusually, missed the team training sessions on both Monday and 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 underlying reasons. Ronaldo's status within the national team has become a recurring subject of debate in recent seasons.
After enjoying two decades as an automatic starter and winning the Ballon d'Or five times, he was surprisingly left out of the starting line‑up by former coach Fernando Santos during the knockout phase of the 2022 World Cup, when Portugal faced Switzerland and Morocco. His successor, Roberto Martinez, promptly reinstated him, and Ronaldo started every one of Portugal's ten matches in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 as well as the World Cup finals later that summer.
While his long‑time rival Lionel Messi, now 39, is set to make his farewell appearance for Argentina in an upcoming friendly against Benin, there is no indication that Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al Nassr, intends to retire from international duty any time soon. In a recent interview he hinted that he might hang up his boots at the club level after next June, but he insisted that he still believes he can contribute to the national side.
"I'm a thinker. You have to think," Ronaldo explained when asked whether he was contemplating retirement after this World Cup. "That is why you see me here now. It means I will continue.
I spoke with the federation president and our coach. I still feel I can help the team achieve its goals, and I will quit when I sense I am no longer adding value." During the earlier victory over Wales, Ronaldo recorded seven attempts on goal but failed to find 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 match. "Whether we like it or not, Cris isn't like João Neves, who is 20 and can play every three days," Jesus remarked, underscoring the physical demands placed on a veteran striker. Jesus had initially indicated that he intended to involve Ronaldo in the Norway game, though not as a starter.
When the final whistle blew in Oslo, Ronaldo walked straight from the bench down the tunnel, bypassing the customary gathering with his teammates to acknowledge the Portuguese supporters in the stadium. After the match, Jesus said it "wasn't the right moment for Cris to come on" and that the flow of the game had led him to reconsider. Anonymous sources speaking to The Athletic revealed that Ronaldo was visibly frustrated by being left out entirely. This marked only the third occasion in his international career that he has been an unused substitute, the previous instances being a Euro 2008 group game after Portugal had already secured qualification 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 the Portugal job, Jesus spent a season coaching Ronaldo at Al Nassr, guiding the Saudi club to a league title.
The 72‑year‑old manager has said that his move to Saudi Arabia was motivated by Ronaldo's invitation and his willingness to work with the star forward. Nevertheless, Portuguese sports daily Record described the current tension as an "internal earthquake," suggesting that the meeting between the two could have far‑reaching implications.
On Tuesday, Ronaldo posted a photo of himself in national team training gear, accompanied by a heart emoji and the Portuguese flag, perhaps signalling a desire to mend fences. The following day, another leading newspaper, A Bola, splashed the headline "situação de crise" (crisis situation) on its front page, while B24 reported that an "emergency" gathering had been arranged involving Ronaldo, Jesus, and FPF president Pedro Proença. According to the federation, the gathering was not a formal meeting but a direct conversation between the coach and the captain, aimed at clearing any misunderstandings. Publicly, Jesus has reiterated that Ronaldo remains a pivotal figure for Portugal, regardless of whether he steps onto the pitch.
At the start of the international break, Ronaldo hinted to the media that a segment of the Portuguese public no longer wishes him to be part of the squad. "I feel the Portuguese fans like me, but I understand that some TV channels want to criticize me," he said.
"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 unrivalled in Portuguese football history: 234 caps and 146 goals, making him the nation's all‑time leading scorer and appearance maker.
He has competed in twelve major tournaments, lifting the Euro 2016 trophy and securing Nations League titles in 2019 and 2024. His iconic status is unquestionable, yet the conversation about his future with the national team persists, fueled by his age, fitness considerations, and the emergence of younger talents.
The upcoming matches in the Nations League and the forthcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers will likely provide further clues about how long the Portuguese legend will continue to wear the famous three‑star crest. This piece originally appeared in The Athletic. © 2026 The Athletic Media Company