Alexander Afonso, the media officer for the Portugal national football team, revealed the stance of the technical staff and the Portuguese Football Federation regarding the recent crisis between Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus, the head coach of the national team.
Ronaldo had left the national team's camp in Copenhagen before confirming via a message on his social media accounts that he would reveal the reasons behind his decision at a later time, which opened the door to numerous speculations about his future with the national team.
Portugal national team reveals latest updates on Ronaldo's situation - Yalla Kora
Afonso said in exclusive comments to "Yalla Kora": "The focus is currently on Portugal's match against Norway. Any topic other than preparing for today's match, which could secure Portugal's qualification, may be a distraction."
The media spokesperson for the Portugal national team added: "The crisis between Ronaldo and Jesus will be addressed later, specifically after Portugal's match this evening."
This statement by the media officer comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding Ronaldo's position with the Portugal national team, after he left the team's camp prior to the Denmark match following his exclusion from the starting lineup for the second consecutive time.
The Portugal national team is preparing to face Norway in the fourth round of the UEFA Nations League group stage, at 9:45 PM this Sunday.
Afonso's statements confirm that those responsible for the Portuguese national team prefer to postpone discussions about the Ronaldo-Jesus crisis until after the Norway match, given the importance of the fixture and its connection to Portugal's qualification calculations.
Details of Ronaldo's crisis with the Portugal national team
On the other hand, Jesus confirmed in previous statements that Ronaldo is "an icon for the Portuguese national team and for Portugal," emphasizing that the current time should be dedicated to focusing on the Norway match before discussing the crisis and what will happen afterwards.
Portugal had achieved victory over Denmark with a score of 4-2 in Ronaldo's absence, while Bruno Fernandes confirmed that the crisis does not imply a division within the national team, also stressing Ronaldo's status as one of the most prominent icons of Portuguese football.
Thus, Ronaldo's position regarding returning to the national team remains undecided, awaiting what will happen after the conclusion of the Norway match and the full opening of the crisis file by the relevant parties.
