Cristiano Ronaldo trains separately as Portugal prepare for Denmark

Cristiano Ronaldo missed Portugal’s on-pitch training in Malmö, Sweden, on Tuesday, September 29, before Thursday’s Nations League match against Denmark in Copenhagen. The Portuguese Football Federation said he trained in the gym at the team hotel. His absence followed an unused appearance on the bench against Norway, while two Portuguese outlets reported that he and coach Jorge Jesus later resolved an apparent disagreement. Neither report established whether Ronaldo will start or play against Denmark.

RTP reported that Ronaldo came to the stadium but did not take part in the pitch session. The federation’s explanation was gym work at the hotel. That accounts for his absence from the group session, but it does not establish why his programme differed from that of teammates or settle questions about his place in Thursday’s side.

What happened after Ronaldo was left on the bench against Norway

Portugal beat Norway 2-1 on Sunday, September 27, with Ronaldo an unused substitute. Jesus had told him before the game that he expected to bring him on, according to the coach’s account reported by Observador. Afterward, Jesus said the match did not call for a change of centre-forward with Ronaldo’s characteristics, particularly with Denmark next on Portugal’s schedule.

Jesus also said after the Norway match that he needed to speak with Ronaldo. Observador reported that Ronaldo went straight to the dressing room and did not join the other Portugal players in acknowledging the supporters in Oslo. Those details prompted questions about his reaction to staying on the bench, but they do not, on their own, establish the nature or severity of any dispute.

What RTP and Observador reported about Ronaldo and Jesus

RTP reported that Ronaldo spoke with Jesus before Tuesday’s training session without reaching an agreement at that point. It subsequently reported another conversation that resolved the apparent disagreement. Observador said it independently confirmed the later meeting and reported that both men were satisfied with the discussion and focused on Portugal’s coming matches against Denmark and Norway.

Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, travelled towards the squad as reports about the situation circulated. RTP said his trip had been linked to a possible urgent meeting, but that Ronaldo and Jesus had reached an understanding before his arrival. The federation confirmed Proença was with the squad, according to the Associated Press report; it did not confirm the wider claims about a rift in that account.

Observador cautioned that the reported reconciliation was no guarantee Ronaldo would start on Thursday. A conversation about the benching and a decision about the next lineup are separate matters. The accounts reviewed so far provide no confirmed starting side and no statement from Jesus settling whether Ronaldo will receive playing time in Copenhagen.

Why Ronaldo missed the pitch session

The federation’s stated explanation was that Ronaldo completed gym work at the hotel. RTP reported that João Félix also missed the on-pitch session, while Francisco Conceição was absent after taking a knock against Norway. Their absences do not establish a reason for Ronaldo’s programme beyond the federation’s explanation.

The Associated Press report said Ronaldo had worked in the gym rather than with the team since the Norway game. The reviewed reporting does not establish an injury diagnosis for him. Training separately can affect preparations, but the available accounts do not show that it rules him out of the Denmark match.

Ronaldo posted a photograph of himself in Portugal training gear on Tuesday with a Portuguese flag and a heart emoji, according to the Associated Press report. The post did not address his availability or explain the conversations reported by RTP and Observador. It offers no substitute for a team selection announcement.

What the Denmark match means for Portugal

Portugal entered the third Group A4 fixture with six points from two Nations League matches, ahead of Denmark and Norway, which had three each, according to RTP. The win in Oslo preserved Portugal’s lead, and the Copenhagen match gives Jesus another selection decision involving his captain just days after leaving him unused against Norway.

Ronaldo remains a central figure for Portugal: the Associated Press report put his international goals tally at 146 and said he was 21 goals short of 1,000 in his career. Those figures explain the attention on his role, but they say nothing about his current fitness or whether he will be in Thursday’s starting lineup.

The next clear answers are expected from Portugal’s pre-match preparations and the team selected to face Denmark. RTP reported that Jesus was due to appear at a pre-match press conference. At the point covered by these reports, its outcome and Portugal’s lineup were still unconfirmed.