CR7 walks out: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal future thrown into doubt

COPENHAGEN, Oct 2 — Cristiano Ronaldo's future with the Portugal national team hangs in the balance following his decision to leave the squad after being excluded from the starting lineup for a second straight Nations League game. The 41-year-old Portuguese superstar announced his departure on Instagram, citing a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president.

Ronaldo, who has graced the national team for over two decades, expressed his intention to share his reasons for leaving the team with the Portuguese people. Spanish sports daily Marca reported that both coach Jorge Jesus and federation president Pedro Proenca accompanied Ronaldo to the Copenhagen airport in an attempt to persuade him to stay with the team.

Despite Jesus' insistence that there was no rift between him and Ronaldo, the player's sister, Elma Aveiro, expressed her disapproval of the decision on social media, accusing the Portuguese people of being envious, scornful, and ignorant. The game against Denmark saw Portugal triumph 4-2, with Ronaldo absent from the bench. The performance was considered a success by Jesus, who acknowledged that having "players with status" is crucial for the team.

Ronaldo, who recently announced that this could be his last year in football, is Portugal's leading goalscorer and most capped player in international history.