Portugal’s national football team has reportedly lost more than one million Instagram followers following Cristiano Ronaldo’s unexpected decision to leave the squad’s training camp on Wednesday.
Ronaldo left the national team camp amid reports of tensions between him and head coach Jorge Jesus.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner did not play in Portugal’s match against Norway on Sunday. After the game, Jesus explained that the decision was his.
“I am the coach, and I told the player that he was not going to play,” Jesus said.
“I told Ronaldo that I would put him on the bench and that if I needed him for 30 minutes, he would come on. But the way I saw the game was different, which is why he did not come on.”
Jesus also made it clear that he would not allow any player to influence his decisions as coach.
“Cristiano, or any other player, will never change my thinking as a coach. Never. Neither him nor anyone else. Not even the president. Never,” he said.
Jesus reiterated his position during a press conference on Wednesday, shortly before Ronaldo decided to leave the national team camp.
In a statement posted on social media, Ronaldo said he had decided to leave the squad following Jesus’ press conference and a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation.
“After the national team coach’s press conference and a conversation I had with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I made the decision to leave the national team camp,” Ronaldo said.
“When the time comes, I will tell the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led me to leave the national team, a team I have always given everything for. For now, I wish Portugal and all my teammates, without exception, the best of luck,” he added.
Just one day after Ronaldo made the announcement, Portugal’s national team Instagram account reportedly lost more than one million followers.
The account had around 24.9 million followers before the controversy. By Thursday evening, that number had reportedly fallen to about 23.8 million, before dropping further to around 23.5 million on the morning of October 2, 2026.
Piers Morgan, the former editor and columnist at The Sun who has a personal relationship with Ronaldo, suggested that there could be more behind the player’s decision than what has so far been made public.
Writing on X, Morgan said: “That’s not the reason he left, as will become clear when he talks about it.”
Following Ronaldo’s departure from the national team, his iconic No. 7 shirt was given to another player less than 24 hours later.
Rafael Leão wore the No. 7 shirt as Portugal defeated Denmark 4-2 in their UEFA Nations League match on Thursday evening.
KIGALI TIME