Ronaldo: From bench role, emergency talks to a possible final dance with Portugal

Spread the word Cristiano Ronaldo’s international future has taken another dramatic turn, just days after his sudden departure from Portugal’s training camp appeared to bring his relationship with new head coach Jorge Jesus to a breaking point.

The 41-year-old Portugal captain was left as an unused substitute in the national team’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway, before being informed that he would not start the following match against Denmark.

What followed was a series of meetings, missed training sessions, an abrupt departure from camp and reports of further attempts to repair the relationship.

Now, however, a new report has raised the possibility of Ronaldo returning to Portugal next year for what could be his final international appearance — a potential “last dance” driven in part by his ambition to score his 1,000th career goal in the colours of his country. Blueprint reports

Portuguese journalist Miguel Pereira told talkSPORT that bridges were already being built between Ronaldo’s camp, Jesus’ camp and the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), with the federation reportedly keen to find a solution that would allow the veteran forward to return.

The crisis began during Portugal’s Nations League encounter with Norway.

Despite being fit and available, Ronaldo remained on the bench throughout Portugal’s 2-1 victory in Oslo. It was a remarkable development for a player who had been a near-permanent presence whenever selected for Portugal for almost two decades.

Ronaldo warmed up during the match but was ultimately not introduced, and his frustration was visible after the final whistle as he went straight to the dressing room instead of joining his teammates in acknowledging the travelling supporters.

Jesus subsequently explained that he had told Ronaldo before the match that he would not start but could be brought on if the circumstances of the game required it.

The coach eventually decided not to use him.

Jesus insisted there had been no major confrontation, saying the decision was purely a technical one and that every player had to accept the coach’s decisions.

The decision nevertheless marked the first time since November 2024 that Ronaldo had failed to play for Portugal while available and neither injured nor suspended.

Tension increased in the days following the Norway match.

Ronaldo did not train normally with the squad, with the Portuguese federation initially explaining that he was completing individual gym work.

As concerns about the relationship between the captain and the new coach grew, Jesus and Ronaldo held a private conversation.

Portuguese reports subsequently indicated that Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença decided to intervene personally.

Proença altered his schedule and travelled to join the senior team in an effort to mediate between the player and coach. A meeting involving Ronaldo, Jesus and Proença was held at the team hotel in Malmö.

According to Portuguese broadcaster RTP and newspaper A Bola, the meeting was conducted in a calm and cordial atmosphere. There had also been a separate conversation between Ronaldo and Jesus before Proença arrived, with reports initially suggesting that the disagreement had been resolved.

At that stage, the expectation was that Ronaldo would return to normal training and remain with the team for the Denmark match.

Jesus then confirmed that Gonçalo Ramos would start against Denmark, meaning Ronaldo would once again begin the game on the bench.

The announcement appeared to deepen the crisis.

Jesus was particularly emphatic in his pre-match comments, stressing that he was the coach and that no player, regardless of status, would dictate his decisions.

He explained that Ronaldo had been told he would be a substitute and that he could play if the coach needed him.

But on the day of the match, Ronaldo did not join his teammates for the scheduled training session at Parken Stadium.

Despite Jesus having said only minutes earlier that the captain would train, Ronaldo left the stadium in a vehicle with members of the Portuguese federation. His private jet was subsequently reported to be travelling from Madrid to Copenhagen.

The situation reached its most dramatic point when Ronaldo officially announced that he was leaving the national team camp.

In a social media statement, the Portugal captain said his decision followed Jesus’ press conference and a conversation with Proença.

He did not announce his retirement, but indicated that he would eventually explain his reasons for leaving.

The statement immediately raised questions about whether the episode represented the end of his extraordinary international career.

Portugal’s record goalscorer had already suggested that his playing career was approaching its final stage, making the dispute with Jesus particularly significant.

Reports subsequently said Jesus and Proença tried to persuade Ronaldo to remain with the team and even followed him to Copenhagen airport. Their attempt was unsuccessful, and Ronaldo left on a private flight to Madrid.

Portugal then faced Denmark without its captain and produced a strong response, defeating the hosts 4-2.

With Ronaldo away from the squad, attention turned to the possibility of reconciliation.

Reports emerged that the Portuguese federation wanted another meeting between Ronaldo and Jesus to settle the dispute and prevent the disagreement from ending the captain’s international career.

A Bola reported that Jesus had agreed to another meeting, with the federation waiting for Ronaldo’s response. The proposed talks were viewed as an attempt to bring both sides together after the dramatic departure from camp.

However, the proposed reconciliation meeting did not immediately materialise, with reports that Ronaldo had not committed to the talks.

The situation therefore remained unresolved as Portugal prepared to complete the international window without its captain.

Despite the controversy, Portugal continued its Nations League campaign successfully.

Without Ronaldo, Jesus’ side defeated Denmark 4-2 and subsequently beat Norway 2-1, securing a place in the Nations League quarter-finals.

The results strengthened Jesus’ position and demonstrated that Portugal could produce results without its veteran captain, but they did not close the door on Ronaldo’s return.

Bruno Fernandes, one of Portugal’s senior players, also rejected suggestions of a dressing-room split and urged the public not to turn the dispute into a wider division within the national team.

Fernandes said he had spoken to Ronaldo and described him as an enduring symbol of Portugal, while stressing that the players remained united.

The biggest development came after Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday.

Jesus, who previously coached Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, significantly softened the tone of his earlier comments.

The Portugal coach said Ronaldo could return if he wanted to and that the decision over how he wanted to conclude his international career ultimately belonged to the player.

“If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team,” Jesus said, adding that Ronaldo would be eligible for the next call-up if he wished to return.

FPF president Proença also sought to calm the situation, describing the episode as a misunderstanding and insisting that Ronaldo remains part of Portugal’s plans on sporting merit.

“He is in the national team on sporting merit,” Proença said, while stressing the need to recognise Ronaldo’s contribution to Portuguese football.

The comments have effectively reopened the possibility of reconciliation.

Against this backdrop, Pereira has offered a fresh explanation for why Ronaldo could yet return.

The Portuguese journalist believes Ronaldo’s pursuit of 1,000 career goals could ultimately prove more important than the current disagreement.

Ronaldo is currently on 979 senior career goals, meaning he needs 21 more to reach the extraordinary landmark.

Pereira said Ronaldo would particularly like to score the 1,000th goal while representing Portugal, describing the possibility as the culmination of his relationship with the national team.

The journalist suggested that Ronaldo could score the majority of the remaining goals at club level with Al-Nassr before returning to Portugal for the milestone moment.

He believes the Portuguese federation also has a strong interest in having Ronaldo back because of his enormous profile and the attention surrounding him.

Pereira’s prediction is now that Ronaldo could return to the Portugal squad next year for one final international chapter.

The report suggests that discussions are already taking place behind the scenes, with “bridges” being built between Ronaldo’s representatives, Jesus and the Portuguese federation.

Rather than immediately ending his Portugal career amid the controversy, Ronaldo could return after relations have cooled and the parties have found a way to move beyond the dispute.

Such a return would potentially give Portugal the opportunity to honour its greatest goalscorer while allowing Ronaldo to pursue his 1,000-goal ambition in the national colours.

Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal, making him both the country’s most-capped player and its all-time leading scorer.

His next opportunity to return could come during the November international window, when Portugal are scheduled to face Denmark and Wales.

For now, there is no official confirmation that Ronaldo will return in 2027. The “last dance” remains a prediction attributed to Pereira rather than an announcement from Ronaldo or the Portuguese federation.

But only days after the dramatic walkout made it appear that one of the greatest international careers in football history could have ended in acrimony, the door is once again open.

And if the reported reconciliation succeeds, Ronaldo may yet get the farewell he wants — one final appearance for Portugal, and perhaps the 1,000th goal that would provide a fitting closing chapter to his extraordinary career.