Prime Minister fails to retain Ronaldo in Copenhagen, drama that shakes Portuguese football
Cristiano Ronaldo left on Wednesday the training ground of the Seleçao in Copenhagen, after an attempt by the Portuguese prime minister and the coach Jorge Jesus to hold him back failed, the same stadium where he had scored his 500th goal with Real Madrid against Malmö.
While his teammates were training, Ronaldo slipped into the federation’s van late in the afternoon. Jorge Jesus and the federation president, Pedro Proença, tried to stop him, but the diversion attempt ended in failure.
The prime minister of Portugal also called the player personally, as well as Jesus and Proença, to persuade him to stay, according to Portuguese media, but without success.
Post‑World Cup criticism and retirement thoughts
The drama unfolded after the World Cup, where Ronaldo was criticised for his poor showing against the Democratic Republic of Congo (1‑1). His brace against Uzbekistan had raised hope, while his penalty in the 16th minute against Croatia and his goalless 8th minute against Spain revived doubts, prompting him to consider international retirement.
“The rules are the same for everyone,” said Jorge Jesus when he was asked about Ronaldo’s situation.
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Potential sanctions and public reaction
In theory, Ronaldo’s departure could result in a fine and a six‑month suspension, but it seems unlikely that the federation will take such action given the uproar generated, which borders on a state affair.
The president of the regional government of Madeira, Ronaldo’s birthplace, denounced the “nonsense and pettiness” aimed at downplaying his importance.
Jesus had planned to use Ronaldo only for home matches, namely the fixture against Wales on September 24 and the final clash in Porto against Norway on October 4. However, a promise of 30 minutes of play in Oslo, followed by a reversal, displeased the player, leading to a missed training session on Tuesday and a new crisis meeting with Proença.
Jonathan Lange, editor of Sports Football, concludes that the veil is slowly lifting on this sequence that is turning into a state affair, recalling that Copenhagen’s Parken, which had sent Ronaldo to his 500th goal, now takes on a completely different meaning in his personal history.