Jorge Jesus leaves door open for Cristiano Ronaldo return to Portugal after walk-out

Portugal have moved on from the controversial departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, and head coach Jorge Jesus has now made it clear the Al Nassr forward would be welcomed back into the national team setup. The 41-year-old left the camp last week after being left on the bench for the first meeting with Norway, a decision that placed his international career in serious doubt.

• Ronaldo walked out of the Portugal camp after being an unused substitute in Oslo.
• Jorge Jesus says the player will decide whether he returns to the national team.
• The 41-year-old promised to reveal the truth behind his departure in due course.
• Portugal beat Denmark and Norway without Ronaldo and lead their group with 12 points.
• Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal.

Jorge Jesus opens the door for Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal return

Speaking after Sunday's 2-1 home win over Norway, the Portugal boss addressed the situation directly. "If he wants to, he will return to the national team. We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who is going to decide," Jesus said during his press conference.

In my first call-up, I said, 'I need you, I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you.' And now I'm saying the same thing.

Those comments come after a turbulent week for the Portuguese national side. Ronaldo had started the opening Nations League win over Wales, but being left on the bench in Oslo sparked a public disagreement that ended with his departure from the squad.

How Ronaldo's bench role in Oslo led to his Portugal exit

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who holds the record for most international goals in men's football with 146 strikes in 234 caps, left the squad following a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença. The decision came after Jesus held his press conference and attempted to dismiss reports of a serious rift.

Ronaldo then published a statement on Instagram confirming his departure from the camp. The message said he would tell the Portuguese people the truth about his reasons in time, while wishing Portugal and his teammates the best of luck.

After the press conference of the national team, and following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have made the decision to leave the national team training camp.

Portugal respond on the pitch without their captain

Despite the noise surrounding their captain's absence, Portugal delivered on the pitch. They won 4-2 away in Denmark before finishing the international break with the home victory against Norway that kept them at the top of Group Four.

Those results mean Portugal have taken maximum points from their first four matches, putting Jesus and his squad in a commanding position as the group stage progresses. The team managed to respond to Ronaldo's departure with two strong performances.

Cristiano Ronaldo's record with the Portugal national team

At 41 years old, Ronaldo remains a central figure in Portuguese football. His international trophy haul includes Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League title, along with a scoring record no other Portuguese player has come close to matching.

The longevity shown by the Al Nassr forward has kept him in contention for regular call-ups despite a generational shift within the squad. Whether he returns now depends, according to his coach, on a personal decision that has yet to be made.

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