António Salvador criticizes Cristiano Ronaldo for abandoning squad camp
Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo abandoned the squad’s training camp in Copenhagen on Wednesday, drawing public criticism from Sporting de Braga president António Salvador while securing backing for manager Jorge Jesus.
The Departure from Copenhagen and Salvador’s Critique
The departure occurred shortly after manager Jorge Jesus addressed media questions about the forward’s role in the squad. During the preceding match against Norway in Oslo on Sunday, the 41-year-old captain remained on the bench despite warming up through much of the second half. He left the pitch visibly dissatisfied after the final whistle and subsequently skipped training sessions.
Speaking in Toronto on Saturday night, António Salvador addressed the incident in statements to the Lusa agency. Salvador stated that Ronaldo “não teve a melhor atitude” in abandoning the squad. While acknowledging the forward as a historic figure in Portuguese football, Salvador questioned the timing and manner of the exit. “Cristiano Ronaldo is a legend of Portuguese football, he is the best player ever and will always be remembered as the best player ever.”
Salvador noted he lacked direct insight into any internal disagreements within the camp. Even so, he argued that the team captain should not have walked away from his responsibilities. “Independentemente se houve divergências ou não, não sei porque não estou por dentro delas. Agora, acho que não foi uma atitude bem refletida,” Salvador declared. He suggested the decision was likely made in the heat of the moment and that the player might not repeat the action under calmer circumstances.
Ronaldo Leaves Camp and Promises to Explain Reasons
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed the player’s departure without providing detailed explanations. Before leaving the camp, Ronaldo spoke with FPF president Pedro Proença and stated via social media that he would tell “a verdade a todos os portugueses sobre as razões que motivaram” the decision in due time. Ronaldo holds the world record of 234 international appearances and 146 goals for the senior national team, with titles including Euro 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Salvador emphasized that attention must now shift entirely back to competitive goals. “O que é importante neste momento é o foco total da seleção em trabalhar para conseguir os objetivos em que está inserida, é ganhar os jogos,” Salvador stated. He expressed full confidence in Jorge Jesus, pointing to the manager’s background and early results. Under Jorge Jesus, Portugal has won its first three matches and currently leads Group A4 of the UEFA Nations League with nine points, ahead of Norway, Wales, and Denmark, which each hold three points. Portugal faces Norway at the Estádio do Dragão.
“Os portugueses e Portugal têm que apoiar esta decisão, têm que apoiar o nosso selecionador e apoiar todos os jogadores que estão na nossa seleção para que possamos estar focados, para que eles possam vencer os jogos que estão pela frente”