Key Takeaways:
- Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s national team camp in Copenhagen and will miss the remainder of the current international break
- The Portuguese Football Federation said preparations would continue for the matches against Denmark away from home and Norway at the ‘Do Dragao’ Stadium with the remaining 24 players
- According to Marca, Pedro Proença and Jorge Jesus went to Copenhagen Airport in an unsuccessful attempt to convince Ronaldo to stay
Federation Confirms Ronaldo’s Departure
The Portuguese Football Federation has broken its silence on Cristiano Ronaldo’s sudden exit from the national team camp, confirming that the Portugal captain has left the squad base in Copenhagen and will not take part in the rest of the current international window.
The announcement was brief and did not provide an explanation for the forward’s departure. It also made no reference to Ronaldo permanently ending his international career, according to “Marca”. Instead, the wording presented his absence as applying to the remainder of this international break.
🚨🚨| BREAKING: Jorge Jesus followed Cristiano Ronaldo to the airport together with the president of the Portuguese FA.
It was their last attempt to convince Cristiano to stay in Copenhagen with the squad, but he stood by his decision and boarded the plane.
[@marca] pic.twitter.com/omctgGypmk
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) October 1, 2026
The Portuguese Federation said in an official statement: “The Portuguese Football Federation announces that Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo has left the national team camp, currently held in Copenhagen”.
It added: “Preparations for the two matches against Denmark away from home and Norway, which will be held at the ‘Do Dragao’ stadium, will continue according to the set programme, with the participation of the remaining 24 players in the squad”.
It concluded: “The technical and administrative staff continue to focus fully on the national team’s upcoming commitments and achieving the set objectives”.
Airport Attempt Failed to Change His Mind
According to Marca, Ronaldo’s exit developed into a dramatic episode after he left Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. The report states that he had learned he would not be included in the starting line-up for Portugal’s match tomorrow against Denmark in the Nations League tournament.
Ronaldo was then taken to Copenhagen Airport in a federation car before leaving for Madrid on his private plane.
The same report added that federation president Pedro Proença and national team coach Jorge Jesus personally hurried to the airport in an attempt to persuade Ronaldo to reverse his decision. Marca did not clarify whether Proença and Jesus ultimately spoke with Ronaldo at the terminal or only saw the Portugal captain continue towards the exit.
No Official Retirement Announcement
A central point in the Federation’s statement is what it did not say. There was no announcement that Ronaldo had retired from international football, nor any confirmation that his departure extends beyond the current international break.
The situation remains unresolved because the reason behind Ronaldo’s decision has not been publicly explained. The captain left only hours after Jorge Jesus, Portugal’s head coach, had insisted there was no issue with him. Ronaldo later revealed that he chose to depart after the coach’s press conference and following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation.
Ronaldo has said he will explain the situation at the appropriate time. Until then, Portugal will continue their UEFA Nations League preparations without their captain.
Uncertainty Around Ronaldo’s Portugal Future
The airport episode has intensified scrutiny around Ronaldo’s future with the national team. The second report described his departure as taking place amid scandal and suggested that, in all likelihood, it also means the end of his career wearing the shirt of his homeland.
For now, however, the only official confirmation is that Ronaldo has left Portugal’s camp during this international break, while the Federation, its technical staff and its administrative staff continue to focus on the upcoming fixtures and the stated objectives.
