“If the coach doesn’t count on me, I can leave today. There’s no problem”. Cristiano Ronaldo also set a condition for taking that step: if he feels he’s doing nothing or not contributing on the pitch, he’ll be the first to grab his shoes and suitcase and leave. According to his words, leaving would be his own decision.
Jorge Jesus said that before playing against Norway, he spoke with Cristiano and told him he wouldn’t start, although he could come on later. In the end, he didn’t put him on the pitch because, as he explained, the course of the match changed his plans. One statement talks about leaving if there’s no place for him; the other, about a plan that the coach decided to change.
🗣️ “My idea was for him to play in the second half, but given the score, it wasn’t the right time for him to come on”, said the coach, who is already beginning to feel the pressure of having Ronaldo on the bench.
