Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Portugal squad after being dropped from starting lineup

Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s national-team camp after coach Jorge Jesus announced that the forward would not start against Denmark. The decision has raised uncertainty over the 41-year-old’s future with the national side. Ronaldo announced his departure late Wednesday after speaking with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation.

In a statement posted on Instagram, he said he had decided to leave the national team and indicated that he would later explain the reasons behind the decision. He had remained on the bench throughout Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway on Sunday. Ronaldo had captained the team in its previous 1-0 home win over Wales, but Jesus again planned to start AC Milan striker Goncalo Ramos against Denmark.

Jesus said there had been no incident between him and Ronaldo. He acknowledged that the player was disappointed after warming up without being brought on against Norway, but described the decision as a coaching choice. The Portuguese federation said the team would continue preparations with the remaining 24 squad members and remain focused on its forthcoming fixtures.

Jesus said Ramos would start if preparations proceeded as planned, while Ronaldo could have been used from the bench if needed. Spanish sports newspaper Marca reported that Jesus and federation president Pedro Proenca followed Ronaldo to Copenhagen airport in an attempt to persuade him to stay. That account is not independently supported by further material in the supplied report.

Ronaldo is Portugal’s leading scorer and most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 appearances. He recently said the current season would probably be his final one in football. He made his international debut in 2003 and captained Portugal to victory at Euro 2016.