Jorge Jesus insists Portugal squad remains united after Ronaldo's training camp exit

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus insisted his squad remains fully behind him following Cristiano Ronaldo’s abrupt departure from the national training camp, speaking after a 4-2 victory over Denmark on Thursday that kept the Selecao top of Nations League Group A4.

Ronaldo announced on Instagram on Wednesday that he had left the camp after discussions with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença. The 39-year-old had started Portugal’s 1-0 win over Wales the previous Thursday but was an unused substitute in the 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday — the first time in 18 years he had sat out a Portugal match without featuring.

“I do. There’s nothing that should stop the group from being with me,” Jesus told Sport TV when asked whether he still had the dressing room’s support in the wake of the Ronaldo situation. “I understand the question. The important thing is what we have to do. The things that happen don’t separate the group, they haven’t separated us and they won’t separate us.”

When pressed post-match on whether he would welcome Ronaldo back should the forward wish to return, Jesus declined to give a direct answer, instead redirecting attention to the performance on the pitch. “A high-quality victory, with four goals, a top-level performance. It can’t be overlooked, it’s more important than everything that happened. That’s what I want to focus on.”

Portugal’s three consecutive wins have cemented their position at the summit of Group A4, and Jesus is already looking ahead to Sunday’s rematch with Norway. “Returning to Portugal, the people will fight at the Dragão stadium,” he added.

Ronaldo’s exit marks a significant moment for the national side. Having been a fixture in the starting XI for two decades, his role had already been reduced under Jesus before the departure, raising questions about whether the all-time international top scorer will return to the squad at all.