What Bruno Fernandes said about Cristiano Ronaldo

3 October 2026, 22:33·37·Sport

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has shared his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugal and Al-Nassr forward, leaving the national team camp. As reported by Goal.com, the 41-year-old's sudden departure during the UEFA Nations League matches caused a stir in the football world and put his future with the national team at risk. This is reported by Goal.com reports.

It turns out the main reason for this conflict is the deteriorating relationship between Ronaldo and head coach Jorge Jesus. The experienced forward was benched and did not play in the match against Norway, which ended in a 2-1 victory. This marked the first time in 18 years that he did not start or feature in an official match.

Crisis talks and the decision to leave

Following the match, the veteran striker, who has 234 caps, held emergency talks with the head coach and the Portuguese Football Federation leadership. However, the parties failed to reach an agreement, and Ronaldo decided to leave the national team camp.

In his statement, Ronaldo wrote: "After a press conference and a conversation with the federation president, I decided to leave the national team training camp. In time, I will tell the Portuguese people the truth about why I left."

Team reaction and digital losses

According to Goal.com, Bruno Fernandes has been in direct contact with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and offered his support. Fernandes stated: "I spoke with Cristiano and told him that he will always remain the greatest icon of our national team and our country. Our national team is not divided, it is united."

Following this incident, the Portuguese Football Federation also suffered a significant blow in the digital space. Reports indicate that the national team's official Instagram account lost over a million followers within 24 hours of the conflict.

Furthermore, the situation intensified after the player himself 'liked' a social media post criticizing the actions of the federation and the coaching staff. In response to the criticism, the football federation issued a brief statement, noting that the entire delegation is focused on upcoming matches and achieving their set goals.