The repercussions of reports regarding Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo's intention to retire from the national team have continued following his crisis with head coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo entered into a severe dispute with Jorge Jesus, the Portugal national team head coach, which led him to leave the team's camp in Copenhagen before the match against Denmark.
The Portuguese national team defeated their counterpart, Denmark, by four goals to two yesterday, Thursday, at Parken Stadium as part of the third round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.
Support billboards for Ronaldo ignite the Portuguese public sphere
According to the Portuguese newspaper "O Jogo," Portuguese fan and businessman Fernando Maia placed large advertising billboards in Lisbon and Oeiras to express his support for Ronaldo, while directing sharp criticism at national team coach Jorge Jesus.
Maia raised posters carrying messages of thanks and gratitude to Cristiano Ronaldo, considering him the country's primary symbol globally, and confirmed in statements to "Radio Observador" that he is funding this campaign from his personal account without any affiliation with any entity or the player himself.
Message of support for Ronaldo
The billboard published by Fernando Maia read: "Thank you, Cristiano Ronaldo, for everything you have given to Portugal... You will always remain our captain, and Portugal is always with you."
The poster accused the coach of "lacking sensitivity in managing the player, poor treatment of the captain, and excessive arrogance," noting that he was the main cause behind this unfortunate ending, along with other parties involved.
Despite the Oeiras municipality removing one of the billboards due to violation, Maia affirmed the continuation of his actions and pledged to place a new billboard next to the "Dragão" stadium coinciding with the upcoming Portugal vs. Norway match, expressing his readiness to pay any financial fines in defense of his right to freedom of expression.
Behind the scenes of the crisis and Ronaldo's anger
Details of the incident trace back to the preparation camp for the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark in Copenhagen; tensions escalated between the two parties following the previous match against Norway (which ended in a 2-1 victory for Portugal) where Ronaldo sat on the bench without participating.
While Ronaldo was in the dressing room, he listened to coach Jorge Jesus's press conference and felt "betrayed" and that the agreements made between them had been violated.
The president of the Portuguese Football Federation (Pedro Proença) and the technical staff tried to persuade the captain to stay, but tensions reached their peak.
Ronaldo left the hotel in a private car belonging to the federation while his teammates were training, without bidding farewell to the team, heading directly to Madrid via a private plane.
Strict response from Jorge Jesus to the crisis
Head coach Jorge Jesus affirmed the stability of his technical stance and his imposition of discipline on everyone, stating: "A player's status does not grant him special privileges. It is about respecting the journey, and I am the one who decides the plan and tactics."
He added: "If I need you for 30 minutes, you will play, and if I don't need you, you won't play. No player will ever change my mind, neither him nor anyone else in the football world, not even any president."
End of an era.. The decision is irreversible
According to a report by the Portuguese newspaper "O Jogo," Cristiano Ronaldo has made a final and irreversible decision not to return to representing the national team again, making the match against Wales at the "Alvalade" stadium his last appearance in the national jersey.
Ronaldo's message to Portuguese fans
Ronaldo said: "After the coach's press conference and my conversation with the federation president, I decided to leave the camp. I will reveal the true reasons to the Portuguese people at the appropriate time. Now is the time to wish success to Portugal and all my teammates without exception."
Position of the Portuguese Football Federation
For its part, the federation issued a brief statement confirming Ronaldo's departure from the camp, emphasizing that the remaining focus is entirely on the upcoming matches alongside the 24 players left in the squad to achieve the national team's goals.
