Jorge Jesus Takes Responsibility for Ronaldo’s Portugal Bench Frustration
Portugal coach Jorge Jesus has accepted responsibility for Cristiano Ronaldo’s frustration after the captain warmed up against Norway but remained on the bench, insisting there was no refusal to train and no dispute requiring formal resolution before Thursday’s Nations League match in Denmark.
Why the issue matters for Portugal
The incident has arrived during an otherwise ideal start to Portugal’s League A Group 4 campaign. The European champions have won their opening two fixtures and travel to Denmark with control of the section, but attention has shifted to the management of Ronaldo, the 41-year-old captain whose international record stands at 234 appearances and 146 goals.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Portugal’s group record | Two wins, six points |
| Wales result | Portugal 1-0 Wales |
| Norway result | Portugal 2-1 Norway |
| Ronaldo against Wales | 67 minutes played |
| Next fixture | Denmark v Portugal, Thursday |
| Following fixture | Portugal v Norway, October 4 |
Jesus said he had initially planned to rest Ronaldo for both the Norway and Denmark matches, having worked with the forward for a year and believing he understood his physical condition. Ronaldo had played 67 minutes in the opening 1-0 win over Wales, when Joao Felix scored the decisive goal, before being an unused substitute in the 2-1 victory over Norway.
That arrangement changed during the Norway game. Jesus considered using Ronaldo late on and instructed him to prepare, but the flow of the match meant the substitution was not made. The coach said he does not enter matches with predetermined changes in mind and acknowledged that he had made an error by asking the captain to warm up too early.
Jesus said Ronaldo had been told before kick-off that he could be required for 20 or 30 minutes if circumstances demanded it. The forward began warming up around the 45th minute, but never entered the match. The manager accepted that no player would welcome a lengthy warm-up without playing, particularly a competitor with Ronaldo’s mentality, and said he should have delayed the instruction by around 15 minutes.
Training absences clarified
Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca met Ronaldo and Jesus on Tuesday evening after Ronaldo missed two successive training sessions. Jesus rejected suggestions that the captain had declined to work, explaining that Ronaldo completed mobility work on the pitch and strength exercises at the team hotel.
Francisco Conceicao was unavailable because of injury, while Joao Felix also did not take part in training. Jesus said Ronaldo was due to train on the following day and described the idea of him refusing a national-team session as implausible.
Jesus also played down the significance of Proenca’s meeting. He said the federation president had spoken to both the coach and captain because that was part of his responsibility amid the speculation, while maintaining that the pair had already discussed the matter after dinner and had nothing to resolve.
Group position before Denmark trip
Portugal are the reigning Nations League holders after beating Spain on penalties in the previous final to secure their second title. They lead Group 4 on six points; Norway and Denmark each have three, while Wales are bottom without a point.
After the Denmark fixture, Portugal conclude this international window at home to Norway on October 4.
