What happened between Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus? The Portuguese coach issues a strong statement: He refused nothing

Two wins in the first two matches under Jorge Jesus have not been enough to quiet the noise around the Portuguese national team.

Cristiano Ronaldo is once again at the center of attention, along with his absence from the match against Norway. The fact that Ronaldo got up to warm up during the second half but was not brought on, as well as his reaction after the match, have sparked debate in Portugal and have also drawn in the Portuguese Football Federation.

Ahead of the clash with Denmark, Ronaldo did not train with the group, but followed an individual program. This brought the topic back forcefully at the press conference, where coach Jorge Jesus and one of Portugal’s captains, Rúben Dias, spoke.

“As far as I am concerned, and I believe as far as the whole group is concerned, there is no unresolved issue. We are ready for tomorrow’s match,” declared the Manchester City defender. Asked again about Ronaldo, Dias downplayed the moment of tension: “It is a moment of frustration that lasts 10, 15 or 20 seconds. That does not diminish in any way the commitment we have had to the national team for more than 20 years. Sometimes you have that moment of frustration and five minutes later we are all celebrating an important victory for Portugal.” Then it was Jorge Jesus’s turn, and from the outset he set limits on questions about the Portuguese captain.

“The most important thing is the objective we have in Copenhagen. We must respect Denmark, because it is an excellent team. Our mission is to win the Nations League. I do not have just one player, I have 23. You may ask questions about any player. As for Ronaldo, one question is too few, three are too many. I will allow only two questions about Ronaldo.” But the Portuguese coach then gave a detailed version of what had happened.

“It is true that I spoke with him. We created a plan, just as I did with Bruno Fernandes, and I told Cris that he would not play against Norway or against Denmark. I have worked with him for a year. I did not come to the national team three months ago and suddenly get to know him. I know his physical condition very well.” Jesus explained that he had taken this decision also based on his previous experience with Ronaldo at Al Nassr. “I also knew in Saudi Arabia, when we had matches every three days, that Cris did not always play. Moreover, he usually does not train on the first or second day after a match. I talked about this with him.”

According to Jesus, Ronaldo had not opposed the coach’s decision. “During the first press conference in Portugal, he said: ‘If it is to play, if it is to be on the bench, I will stay. Whatever the coach wants.’ He refused nothing.” Jesus admitted that during the match against Norway he had thought about bringing Ronaldo on, but the course of the match changed.

“I had agreed with him that he would not play in the next two matches, but I thought that perhaps I might need him in the final minutes. But the match showed me the opposite and I did not put him on the field. That is the key point.”

“Ronaldo did not refuse to train”

Jorge Jesus was even more direct when asked about Ronaldo’s absence from training with the group. “There is no problem here. I have had problems with many players during my career. Do not make a drama out of something that does not exist. The rules are the same for everyone.” He also cited Bruno Fernandes as an example, with whom he had had a similar situation. “After the match with Wales, Bruno got injured. I asked him: ‘What is wrong with you? You are not the Bruno I know.’ He was honest with me. I told him: ‘You will not play the next match. If you recover, you will play in Denmark.’ That is exactly what I did with Ronaldo too.”

The Portuguese coach emphasized that a player’s status does not determine technical decisions. “A player’s status does not give him rights. Status has to do with respect for their career, just as I do with everyone. With Cris and with the other players I have worked with, I always explain what I want to do and the plan I have for them. But in the end, I am the one who decides.”

As for Ronaldo, Jesus categorically denied that he had refused to train. “He did not refuse to train. Francisco Conceição was injured and did not train. João Félix also did not train, because we are trying to manage his fatigue. Cris did work in the gym. He did mobilization work on the field and then strength work at the hotel. He did not refuse. He will train today.” And Jesus insisted: “Do you think any national team player refuses to train? Not in Portugal. Nobody refuses to train.”

“There was no incident”

Finally, Jorge Jesus returned to the moment that caused all the discussion and insisted that there had been no conflict between him and Ronaldo. “There was no incident. I have explained why it happened. I have no problem with incidents, I have had many during my career. But do not try to create a sensation out of something that does not exist.”

Jesus admitted that he had had another conversation with Ronaldo, after the situation had grown in Portugal. “They forced me to talk to Cris about an issue that did not exist. There was nothing to discuss. What we talked about was exactly what he had said at the press conference: ‘I am here for you to decide. If you want me to play, I will play. If you want me to sit in the stands, I will sit there.'”

The president of the Portuguese Federation also got involved in the situation to understand what had happened. “The president came, of course. He has to be here with the team. Hearing what was being said in Portugal, he wanted to know what had happened. But after dinner, we had already resolved the matter, which in reality was not a problem at all.”