Portugal's camp calms, but three senior players drift from Ronaldo

After the televised psychodrama during the last international break, the new training camp of the Portugal national team is markedly calmer, the atmosphere being studious but cold since Monday, after the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo, who spent 23 years wearing the country's colours.

Record and honours of Cristiano Ronaldo

He remains to date the all‑time top scorer in national team history with 146 goals in 234 appearances. His 23 years of service have been marked by major titles, including the triumph at Euro 2016 and two Nations Leagues. Among his close associates, he counts long‑standing friendships with Pepe and Ricardo Quaresma.

Cold relations with three senior players

Three senior players of the Seleçao embody this distrust, not sharing the admiration many had for CR7, such as Rafael Leão, who inherited the number 7. The most distant was João Cancelo, former Manchester City player and now at Barça.

Wesley Sneijder says Jorge Jesus disrespected CR7 in Portugal farewell

Cancelo made headlines by pushing Ronaldo aside during a training session at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, then made demeaning remarks, stating that a player’s career peak lies between 25 and 32 years old and that the team should no longer revolve solely around him.

João Félix, who met Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, also kept his distance from the idol.

Finally, Bruno Fernandes has long taken offense at Cristiano Ronaldo’s omnipotence on the pitch and, as an attacking midfielder for Manchester United, distanced himself from CR7’s vehement comments about the club when he left England.