A Bola newspaper reported that Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr, traveled to Saudi Arabia amid the crisis surrounding his departure from the Portuguese national team.
The report clarified that Ronaldo flew on his private jet from Madrid to Riyadh on Sunday evening in order to rejoin his club, Al Nassr.
It was the same plane with which Ronaldo left Copenhagen after departing the Portuguese national team camp in a controversial manner last Wednesday.
The Portuguese star is expected to arrive in Riyadh at around 9:45 PM, coinciding almost exactly with the kickoff of the Portugal vs. Norway match.
Following his return, Ronaldo will prepare with Al Nassr for their match against Diriyah next Friday, as part of the eighth round of the Saudi League.
His teammate João Félix is also expected to return to Al Nassr late after the end of the camp.
For his part, Portugal coach Jorge Jesus emphasized Cristiano Ronaldo's symbolic importance to the entire country.
Portugal is preparing to face its rival Norway in the match scheduled for Sunday, during the fourth round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.
The Portuguese coach said during the press conference: "Cristiano Ronaldo is a symbol for the national team and for all of Portugal. After the Norway match, we will have ample time to address those details."
He added, "Communication with Ronaldo? The emotion and support I seek and desire do not go beyond the symbolism of the national team. This support is for the team as a whole, not for me personally. I am part of the system and its technical leader. Fans have emotions towards the nation. I was a passionate supporter of the national team before becoming its coach, and I always kept Portugal's interest in mind."
He concluded, "The impact of the Ronaldo crisis on the 2030 World Cup? I won't get carried away from the main topic. You are taking us towards 2030! Football is played day by day, and the Norway match is the most important for us. The real challenge currently facing us is the match against Norway."
The crisis began during the Portugal vs. Norway match in the second round of Group 4 in the UEFA Nations League, which ended with a 2-1 victory for Portugal, when Ronaldo did not participate in the game.
The Portuguese captain did not train with the national team in recent sessions, and Jesus spoke out in the press conference before the Denmark match to criticize Cristiano Ronaldo. Consequently, the player left the national team camp after an agreement with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation.
The Portuguese newspaper "O Jogo" revealed that the player decided not to return to represent the Portuguese national team again and prefers to retire internationally.
Cristiano Ronaldo has participated in 234 matches with the Portuguese national team, scoring 146 goals and providing 45 assists.
With the Portuguese national team, he won the European Championship once and the UEFA Nations League twice.
Portugal tops Group 4 with 9 points from three full victories.
