Nations League: Portugal coach Jesus clears air on Ronaldo refusing to train

A recent poll of Portugal fans indicates that captain Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer required in the starting lineup, according to the headline "Ronaldo no longer needed by Portugal, says poll of fans." The poll, conducted by top Portuguese football magazine A Bola, suggests that fans prefer Gonçalo Ramos and João Félix to remain in attack against the Danes in the upcoming match.

Ronaldo's absence from the starting lineup was evident as he marched straight down the tunnel following Portugal's 2-1 UEFA Nations League Group A4 victory over Norway. The star player missed training on Tuesday ahead of Thursday's match in Denmark, which has raised concerns among supporters. Reports suggest that Ronaldo wanted to use a better gym at the hotel rather than the training ground, but his recent behavior has not been well-received by many fans.

Initially, Ronaldo had agreed not to play in Norway, which was orchestrated by coach Jorge Jesus. Jesus, who previously won a Saudi title with Ronaldo at Al-Nassr before taking the Portugal job, had asked the football great to come on for the last 30 minutes of the match. However, Ronaldo changed his mind, and this decision has sparked speculation about the end of his international career.

Despite exiting the World Cup in the last-16 in July, Ronaldo had previously stated that this might be his last year of football in a Vogue interview, as he aims for 1,000 career goals.