Ronaldo stays with Portugal despite bench controversy

On Tuesday evening, several international media confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo has not yet played his last international match for Portugal, after national team coach Jorge Jesus kept him on the bench for the entire Nations League match against Norway, to the great displeasure of the Al‑Nassr striker.

After the match, the Al‑Nassr star left the national camp angry and packed his luggage. The departure was widely scrutinized and led to speculation about a possible definitive end to his international career.

Coach Jesus keeps the door open for Ronaldo

Jorge Jesus, however, stated that Ronaldo can always return if he wishes. The national team coach emphasized that there is no definitive exclusion.

The Portuguese Football Federation explained that the disagreement between coach and player was mainly a misunderstanding. Ronaldo has so far not given any comment, but indicated upon his departure that he will “tell the truth in due course”.

Two days after the last international match, Portuguese media and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Ronaldo is “simply” continuing. Thus the possibility remains that he will take part in the 2028 European Championship, which would be its seventh edition. He is so far the only player who has been active at six Euros.

His possible presence at Euro 2028 underscores the exceptional length of his international career and offers Portugal a unique experience on the highest European stage.