Portugal head coach Jesus Jorge has welcomed Cristiano Ronaldo to resume his International career. Ronaldo left Portugal’s camp after coach Jesus Jorge confirmed that he would be benched again for the clash against Denmark. Earlier, Ronaldo started and played 67 minutes in 1-0 win against Wales.
After the match, Jorge said he planned for Ronaldo to play but not start against Norway. The veteran went straight down the tunnel from the substitute’s bench after not playing in 2-1 win against Norway on last Sunday.
Subsequently, Ronaldo announced his exit in a statement but revealed he would explain the reasons for his decision “in due course.” Without Ronaldo, Portugal once again registered a 2-1 win against Norway this Sunday while playing at home in Porto.
Jesus told a press conference: “If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team.
“We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide.
“In my first call-up, I said, ‘I need you, I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you.’ And now I’m saying the same thing.”
Federation president Pedro Proença said: “We are talking about the greatest player of all time, a player who has given more than two decades to Portuguese soccer.
“He will always be part of this squad if he is technically fit to play. Cristiano knows this. He knows that is the sentiment. What happened was a misunderstanding that needs to be resolved internally.”
Proença added: “Ronaldo is a symbol of our country. He is a Portuguese icon, an absolutely extraordinary player who could have ended his international career after the World Cup but chose not to out of love for the national team.”
After Portugal’s 2-1 win against Norway, the team has qualified for the Nations League quarterfinals.
Portugal will next face Denmark on November 14.
