The crisis did not begin with Jesus: shocking behind-the-scenes details reveal Portugal's intentions towards Ronaldo
The Portuguese Federation welcomed the exclusion of Don
Cristiano Ronaldo's crisis with the Portugal national team did not begin in recent days, nor did it stem from his current dispute with Jorge Jesus. Behind-the-scenes details from the past period reveal that the Portuguese Football Federation had the future of their captain in their calculations long before the current coach arrived.
According to the Spanish newspaper "AS", the federation were already preparing for the post-Ronaldo era. The prevailing belief in the national team's corridors was that the Portugal captain would end his international career after the World Cup. Ronaldo surprised everyone by carrying on.
Portuguese officials, AS report, were convinced the World Cup would be Ronaldo's final stop with the national team. That brought the question of his succession and the reshaping of the side without him into the federation's thinking early on. But the 41-year-old did not retire.
The newspaper added that some of the candidates the federation negotiated with to succeed former coach Roberto Martinez made Ronaldo's departure a condition of taking the job. The federation welcomed the idea.
Jorge Jesus's arrival brought Ronaldo face to face with that reality.
Jesus was not dealing with an ordinary player. He was dealing with a 41-year-old historic captain who holds exceptional influence and presence within the national team. At the same time, his role needed defining according to the team's needs rather than solely what he had offered throughout his career.
The crisis erupted when Ronaldo sat on the substitutes' bench against Norway, before leaving the national team's camp in Copenhagen following his dispute with Jesus.
Ronaldo announced after his departure that he had made his decision following the coach's press conference and a conversation with Portuguese Federation president Pedro Proenca. He confirmed he would reveal "at the appropriate time" the reasons that drove him to leave the national team.
