Portugal coach Jorge Jesus says Cristiano Ronaldo is welcome to return to the national team following his departure from its training camp last week. Ronaldo has not announced that he is returning, and no place in the next squad has been confirmed.
Jesus spoke after Portugal beat Norway 2-1 on Sunday, 4 October. He described the disagreement as a misunderstanding and said the decision about returning rested with the 41-year-old forward, according to RTP’s account of his interview.
Why Ronaldo left the camp
Ronaldo was an unused substitute when Portugal won in Norway on 27 September. He left the squad in Copenhagen three days later, after a press conference by Jesus and a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.
Ronaldo said at the time that he would explain his reasons later. The federation confirmed his departure but did not give a reason for it.
Proença has since said Ronaldo remains in Portugal’s plans and that the episode should be resolved internally, Reuters reported. Those comments and Jesus’s invitation leave a route back, but Ronaldo has yet to say whether he will take it.
What comes next
Portugal won 4-2 in Denmark and then beat Norway at home without Ronaldo, securing a place in the Nations League quarter-finals.
Its next group matches are at home to Denmark on 14 November and away to Wales on 17 November, according to UEFA’s fixture list. Whether Ronaldo features in either match depends first on his decision to return and the next squad selection.
