Cristiano Ronaldo's crisis with the Portuguese national team entered a sharp turn, after the captain of the national team left his country's camp in Copenhagen heading to Madrid, despite the attempts of coach Jorge Jesus and the head of the Portuguese Federation, Pedro Proenza, to dissuade him from his decision at the airport, against the backdrop of a dispute that erupted after the coach's press conference, and reached the point of talking about the player's feeling of "betrayal" because of what he considered to be a reversal of a previous agreement between the two parties.
According to the Portuguese newspaper "Apola", citing Spanish journalist Edu Aguirre, who is known for his close relationship with Ronaldo, the national team captain considered what happened a "betrayal" of a previous agreement with Jesus, after the coach's speech in front of the media differed from what happened between them during a closed meeting that preceded the press conference.
The roots of the crisis go back to Ronaldo remaining on the bench and not participating against Norway, despite warming up for about 30 minutes, before he later met with Jesus and Proenza on Tuesday evening in an attempt to contain the repercussions of the situation.
According to the story conveyed by Aguirre, Jesus apologized to Ronaldo during the meeting for keeping him in the warm-up for approximately half an hour without involving him, and informed him that he would publicly admit during the press conference that he had not managed the situation well.
However, Jesus' speech to the media was different from what Ronaldo was waiting for, as the coach appeared with a more assertive speech and emphasized his authority within the team, which caused the crisis to escalate and prompted the Portuguese captain to make the decision to leave.
Aguirre reported that Jesus “apologized to Cristiano in private and told him that he would also apologize publicly,” before considering that the coach’s subsequent statements were the direct cause of the dispute erupting, after Ronaldo saw that what had been agreed upon between them had not been respected.
The Portuguese newspaper “Record” described Jesus’ press conference as the moment that “detonated the bomb,” in light of the shift that occurred in Ronaldo’s position after the meeting that was supposed to put an end to the crisis.
Attempts to contain the situation did not stop at the tripartite meeting, as the French newspaper L'Equipe reported that Jesus and Proenza went to the airport after learning of Ronaldo's decision to leave Copenhagen, and they tried until the last moments to convince him to stay with the national team and rescind his decision, but the Portuguese captain refused and insisted on leaving.
Ronaldo had left the place where the national team was scheduled to train, then returned to the hotel to collect his belongings, before summoning his private plane from Madrid to transport him from the Danish capital.
Ronaldo arrived at Copenhagen Airport in an unmarked car, and appeared wearing the Portuguese national team's training clothes, before heading to the private flights area in preparation for departure.
His private plane arrived in Copenhagen at approximately 10:15 p.m., before taking off for Madrid at 11:35 p.m., ending a stormy night that opened the door to widespread questions about the future of one of the longest international journeys in the history of football.
Ronaldo himself had confirmed the decision to leave via his Instagram account, explaining that he took the step after Jesus' press conference, and after a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Federation.
Ronaldo wrote: “After the coach’s press conference, and following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I made the decision to leave the national team camp,” stressing that he would reveal in due time to the Portuguese people the reasons that prompted him to leave the team to which he had always devoted himself, wishing success to Portugal and all his teammates “without exception.”
In a development that reinforced the uncertainty surrounding his international future, the Portuguese newspaper “Ojogo” reported that Ronaldo’s decision not to return to the national team had become “final and irreversible,” and that his match against Wales at the Alvalade Stadium may be his last in a Portuguese jersey. It also reported that he left the hotel without saying goodbye to his teammates.
There has not yet been an official announcement from Ronaldo or the Portuguese Federation confirming his final retirement from international football, so the issue of the end of his career with the national team remains within the scope of what was reported by the Portuguese media.
In parallel with the controversy over his international future, the possibility of Ronaldo being subjected to a disciplinary penalty for leaving the camp arose.
L'Equipe stated, based on the regulations reported by the Portuguese press, that a player who leaves without justification for training, a match, or an activity related to the national teams may face a suspension penalty ranging from one month to six months.
The regulations also stipulate that, for a professional player, an additional fine of approximately between 500 and 1,000 euros may be imposed.
The Portuguese Federation has not yet announced that any disciplinary action will be taken against Ronaldo, and therefore the suspension and fine remain a possibility allowed by the regulations, and not a decision issued against the national team captain.
In another indicator that captured the attention of the Portuguese press, the number 7 shirt, associated with Ronaldo's name for almost his entire career with the national team, was transferred to Rafael Leao during Portugal's match against Denmark, on Thursday, in the third round of the European Nations League.
The list of players published by the European Football Association (UEFA) showed that Leao, who was wearing number 17, will play the match with number 7.
The European Nations League regulations require that the players included in the match list be numbered from 1 to 23, which means that Portugal had to redistribute the number after Ronaldo’s absence. However, granting the number that has long been associated with the national team’s captain to Leao sparked widespread interest given its timing and coincidence with the crisis related to Ronaldo’s future.
Ronaldo will not be the only one absent from the match against Denmark, as Francisco Conceicao will also be absent due to injury, while Fabio Silva has become available against Jesus for the first time during the current international break.
The repercussions of the crisis extended to social media, as the official account of the Portuguese national team on Instagram lost more than 300,000 followers in less than 24 hours after the controversy erupted.
The number of followers of the account decreased from approximately 24 million and 942 thousand on Wednesday evening to approximately 24 million and 600 thousand on Thursday morning, amid a number of Ronaldo’s supporters reacting to the crisis by unfollowing the national team’s account.
Elma Aveiro, Ronaldo's sister, entered the crisis line, as she posted on her Instagram account pictures showing the decline in the number of followers of the Portuguese national team's account, and commented with phrases in which she criticized what happened, including: “Betrayal is a dish served cold... As you condemn, you will be condemned.” The way forward.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton said they stand strongly behind Ferrari president Fred Vasseur, at a time when the Italian team seeks to contain growing speculation about its future, and what was reported about the name of Christian Horner, the former president of Red Bull, being linked to the position.
Before the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Malaysian Sepang Circuit, the two drivers stressed their full support for Vasseur, as Leclerc described him as a “very important element” in the team’s journey, while Hamilton stressed that he is “the perfect person” to lead Ferrari.
Ferrari had renewed its “full confidence” in Vasseur, in an attempt to put an end to the rumors that had escalated recently, especially after Horner’s statements in which he indicated that Ferrari might be the only destination he might consider joining without owning a share in the team.
Leclerc rejected what he described as “ridiculous rumors” circulating in Formula 1 circles, and told reporters: “I have always stressed the extent of my confidence in Fred, and how important he is to the team. “We have a very special relationship.”
He added: “Apart from our personal relationship, I see that he has exceptional competence in his work, and has added great value to the team since his arrival, and I am convinced that he will continue to do so in the coming years.”
He continued: “What distinguishes him most is his ability to manage people, which is one of the most important qualities that any team leader needs. He knows how to deal with every individual, and how to create the conditions that allow him to bring out his best.”
For his part, Hamilton did not hesitate to express his support for Vasseur, saying: “Fred is a wonderful leader, and he is the most suitable person to lead this team in the right direction.”
The seven-time world champion added: “He contributed to moving the team to second place in the Manufacturers’ Championship, which is a great progress that reflects the work that was accomplished during the last period.”
This solidarity within Ferrari comes at a time when the team is facing clear technical challenges, as the two drivers acknowledged that the car suffers from a performance gap compared to its direct competitors.
Hamilton said: “We do not hesitate to admit that we suffer from a lack of power. “At some tracks, we lose between 4 and 6 tenths of a second on straight lines alone.”
He added: “We realize the magnitude of the problem, and everyone is working hard to find appropriate solutions in preparation for the next season.”
As for Leclerc, he believed that Ferrari's suffering is not limited to the power unit only, pointing out that competitors have made remarkable progress in other areas as well.
He said: “Certainly, we lack strength compared to our competitors, but it does not stop there.”
He added: “In terms of structure and aerodynamics as well, other teams have made great leaps through recent updates, and have become faster in corners. Therefore, we need to develop at all levels if we want to reduce the gap and return to competing at the top.”
