Explained: Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘crisis’ meeting with Portugal after not playing vs. Norway

Jorge Jesus has enjoyed a strong start as Portugal head coach, overseeing wins against Wales and Norway in the UEFA Nations League. Ahead of Thursday's trip to Denmark, however, the build-up has centered on a 'crisis' meeting with captain Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 41-year-old striker, a regular in Portugal's starting line-up since 2003, did not play a minute of Sunday's win over Norway and did not train with his teammates on Monday or Tuesday. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has not reported any injury or physical issue with the player.

Ronaldo's future in Portugal's international team has increasingly become a key talking point in recent years.

An automatic starter for two decades, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was dropped from the starting line-up by then-head coach Fernando Santos for Portugal's 2022 World Cup knockout matches against Switzerland and Morocco. Roberto Martinez, Santos's successor, reinstated Ronaldo and selected him from the start for all 10 of Portugal's matches across the 2024 European Championship and this summer's World Cup finals.

While Ronaldo's long-term rival Lionel Messi, 39, will make his final Argentina appearance next week against Benin, there is no sign that the Al Nassr forward has plans to call time on his Portugal career.

Last month, he said he would "probably" retire at the end of the club season next June but before this international break he insisted he could still help the national side.

"I'm a thinker. You have to think," Ronaldo said when asked if he had considered retiring after this year's World Cup. "This is why you see me here now. It means I will continue.

"I had a conversation with the (FPF) president, with our coach. I still believe that I'm able to help the national team to reach what they want and will finish when I feel like I'm not doing anything here."

Ronaldo had seven shots without scoring in Portugal's 1-0 victory over Wales before being substituted off in the 65th minute for Goncalo Ramos. "I thought it was important to have fresh legs," Jesus said after the game. "Someone who could press the Wales center-backs and stop them playing out, someone with more speed in the first line of defence."

For the win over Norway three days later, Ronaldo was an unused substitute. "Whether we like it or not, Cris isn't like Joao Neves, who is 20 and can play every three days," Jesus explained.

The head coach had said before that match that he planned for Ronaldo to participate, but that he was unlikely to feature from the start. When the final whistle went in Oslo, Ronaldo made his way directly from the substitute's bench and down the tunnel, not joining his team-mates in acknowledging the visiting Portuguese fans.

After the game, Jesus said it "wasn't the right moment for Cris to come on" and the state of the match had meant he changed his mind.

Sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity to allow them to do so candidly, have told The Athletic that Ronaldo was irritated by not featuring at all in the game. It was just the third time the forward was an unused substitute for Portugal; following a Euro 2008 group game (when Portugal had already qualified) and a friendly match against Croatia ahead of Euro 2024.

Jesus and Ronaldo have shared a strong professional relationship. Prior to his appointment this summer, Jesus coached Ronaldo for a year at Al Nassr and won the Saudi Pro League. The 72-year-old said his decision to coach in Saudi Arabia was due to Ronaldo's invitation and his willingness to coach the striker.

However, Portuguese sports newspaper Record described the situation between the two as an "internal earthquake". On Tuesday, Ronaldo shared an image of himself in national training gear alongside a heart emoji with the Portugal flag.

On Wednesday, sports newspaper A Bola led their Wednesday front page with the headline "situacao de crise" (crisis situation, translated from Portuguese). Portuguese publication B24 additionally said an "emergency" meeting had been scheduled between Ronaldo, Jesus, and FPF president Pedro Proenca.

The aim of this meeting was to clear the air. The FPF have indicated this was not a meeting, but rather a direct conversation between Jesus and Ronaldo, who share a strong mutual respect.

Publicly, Jesus has said Ronaldo "is an important figure for Portugal, playing or not". At the start of this international break, Ronaldo suggested to media that some in Portugal no longer wanted him to be part of the squad. "I feel the Portuguese fans like me, but I do understand that some TV channels want to criticise me," he said. "They've tried to kill me, but only with a shotgun. They are dying for me not to come to the national team anymore."

No men's footballer has made as many international appearances (234) or scored as many goals (146) for their nation as Ronaldo. The striker has featured in 12 major tournaments for his nation, winning the European Championship in 2016 and the Nations League title in 2019 and 2024.

He is unquestionably an icon for Portugal, but the debate on his future and participation with the national team continues to dominate.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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