Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp after being dropped by Jorge Jesus

Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s training camp in Denmark after coach Jorge Jesus confirmed the captain would again not start, following his omission from the team’s 2-1 Nations League win over Norway.

Ronaldo was expected to train with his team-mates at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on Wednesday, but departed shortly after Jesus’s press conference. The 41-year-old had remained on the bench throughout Sunday’s match in Oslo and will not be included in the starting XI for Thursday’s game against Denmark.

“Following the national team coach’s press conference, and after having a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.

“In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated.

“Now is time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my team-mates, without exception.”

Jesus denied there had been a dispute between them, although the 72-year-old acknowledged that Ronaldo had been unhappy about not playing against Norway.

After Portugal’s victory, Ronaldo went directly to the changing rooms rather than joining his team-mates in applauding the Portuguese supporters in the stands.

“There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus told reporters.

“Any player – and I was a player myself… when you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then don’t get on… no one is happy about that,” he added.

Jesus said he had informed Ronaldo before the match that he would not start, but had considered introducing him late in the game.

“Afterwards, as coach, I decided not to bring him on. It’s nothing to make a fuss about,” said the former Benfica boss.

He also rejected reports in some Portuguese media that Ronaldo had refused to train on Tuesday. Jesus said the forward had instead completed individual exercises focused on physical “mobility” and “strengthening”.

Although Jesus had said Ronaldo would train normally on Wednesday, he did not join the squad on the pitch after arriving at the stadium on the team bus.

Portuguese media published video of Ronaldo leaving Parken Stadium with two members of the backroom staff shortly after the coach’s press conference. They also reported that his private jet was travelling to Copenhagen.

The Portuguese federation issued a short statement shortly before Ronaldo’s social media post, confirming only that the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus player had not trained.

Jesus plans to start AC Milan striker Goncalo Ramos against Denmark after he scored Portugal’s winner in Norway.

“If everything goes according to plan, it will be Goncalo who plays,” he said. On Ronaldo, he added: “If I need him, he’ll come on. If I don’t need him, he won’t.”

Ronaldo said this summer that the current season would “probably (be) my last year in football”. He is Portugal’s leading scorer and most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 appearances.