Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp without saying goodbye to teammates

Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen without taking part in training or saying goodbye to his team-mates, adding to questions about the circumstances surrounding his sudden departure before Thursday’s Nations League meeting with Denmark.

The Portugal captain travelled to Madrid on his private plane after leaving the squad’s hotel and the Parken stadium. According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, Ronaldo departed the team’s hotel on Wednesday before the rest of the players returned from training.

The report said Ronaldo left without waiting for his colleagues to come back from the session, meaning he did not have the opportunity to say goodbye before departing the national team’s camp.

His exit came only minutes after Portugal manager Jorge Jesus had denied that there was any problem between the player and the national team. Jesus had also stated that Ronaldo would take part in Wednesday’s training session.

Instead, Ronaldo left Parken in a car belonging to the Portuguese Football Federation and did not join the session. He then travelled to Madrid, a move that has prompted renewed questions about his future with Portugal and whether the latest developments could mark the beginning of the end of his international career.

Ronaldo later issued a statement wishing Portugal success and said he would reveal the truth at the appropriate time.

Portuguese media have continued to investigate the events behind the forward’s unexpected departure from the camp in Denmark. O Jogo said it had learned from sources close to the situation that Ronaldo left the hotel before the squad returned from training.

The newspaper’s account provides further detail about the timing of his departure, but no explanation for why he left the camp has been given in the available statement.