Cristiano Ronaldo's flight to Madrid intensifies his possible retirement
Cristiano Ronaldo left the Portugal national team training camp in Copenhagen on Wednesday and, despite a final attempt by Jorge Jesus and Pedro Proença to keep him, boarded his private plane at 23:35 and landed in Madrid in the early hours of Thursday.
Flight and departure from the camp
Ronaldo's private plane landed in Copenhagen at 22:15, Spanish mainland time, and took off at 23:35 with the striker on board. After collecting his belongings at the hotel, he left the facility before his teammates returned from training and did not say goodbye to them.
The president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proença, and the coach Jorge Jesus went to the airport to try to prevent Ronaldo from boarding the plane, but their intervention did not change the striker's plans. In the press conference before the match against Denmark, Jesus confirmed that Gonçalo Ramos would start and reiterated his authority to decide line‑ups.
Response from the Federation and the coach
Jesus denied any conflict with Ronaldo and explained that both agreed that the captain would not play against Norway nor against Denmark. However, the coach admitted that he had had Ronaldo warm up for thirty minutes against Norway before deciding not to give him a start.
Ronaldo leaves training camp, FPF secures Nations League plan
O Jogo reports that the departure could be final and that the captain has decided not to play for the national team again. Ronaldo communicated his decision on social media, saying: "After the national coach's press conference and after a conversation with the president of the FPF, I decided to leave the national team camp" and added that, "In due course, I will tell the truth to all Portuguese about the reasons that motivated my departure from the national team".
Possible sanctions and immediate future
According to the disciplinary regulations of the Portuguese Football Federation, a player who leaves a call‑up without justification can be sanctioned with a suspension of one to six months and a fine, which could affect Ronaldo's future with the national team.
Portugal will face the next Nations League match against Denmark without its captain, and the game against Wales at the Estádio Alvalade could become the last of Ronaldo's international career if the retirement is confirmed.
Ronaldo leaves Copenhagen camp and promises to reveal the truth
Journalist Edu Aguirre, a friend of Ronaldo, stated that the striker feels betrayed by Jesus's conduct, citing the Tuesday night meeting and the promise of a public apology that never materialised.