After Cristiano Ronaldo was left on the bench during Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway, hopes were still high that he would feature against Denmark on October 1. Jorge Jesus had initially given Ronaldo reason to expect another chance, but that quickly changed when the coach revealed he would not start the Nations League clash. This decision eventually led Ronaldo to leave Portugal’s training camp. Now, in the wake of that fallout, Portugal is reportedly facing a sharp drop in fan support on social media.

According to a post shared on October 1 by @DeadlineDayLive on X, Portugal’s official Instagram account has lost more than 300,000 followers since Ronaldo’s departure from the national-team camp was announced. The claim has quickly caught the attention of fans, with one supporter reacting to the post by writing, “The stadium will be empty after losing 300k followers too.”

This social media reaction comes after a dramatic turn of events involving Ronaldo and Jesus. On September 27, Ronaldo watched from the bench as Portugal beat Norway. Jesus had promised him 30 minutes. He got zero.

Jesus later explained his decision, saying, “I needed a player with different characteristics, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of the running, on the contrary. Maybe now, against Denmark, he’ll play.” Those comments gave Ronaldo reason to believe he could return in the next game. However, Jesus eventually confirmed that the Portugal captain would not start the Nations League clash either.

The coach explained that his decision was connected to managing the workload of players during a packed Nations League schedule. Jesus also made it clear that he did not want the Ronaldo situation to dominate Portugal’s preparations for Denmark. “We’re playing against a great opponent. We have a mission to win the Nations League,” Jesus said, before stressing that he had 23 players available rather than relying on one individual.

Shortly after Jesus’s press conference, Ronaldo left the training camp. The Portuguese Football Federation later confirmed his departure. Ronaldo then addressed the situation himself. In a statement posted on Instagram, Ronaldo wrote, “Following the national team manager’s press conference, and after a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have decided to leave the national team’s training camp.”

The Portugal captain did not reveal the full reason for his decision. Instead, he said he would tell Portuguese supporters the truth about why he left “in due course.” He also wished Portugal and his teammates good luck.

That has left the situation open to further questions, especially because Jesus’s explanation and Ronaldo’s actions have created two different sides to the story. But what makes the situation even more notable is that the pair have known each other for years, both personally and professionally.

Jesus and Ronaldo were already friends in Portugal

Before Jorge Jesus ever coached Cristiano Ronaldo, the two already had a friendship that went back years. On February 10, 2025, while speaking to Canal 11 as Al-Hilal manager, Jesus was asked about his relationship with Ronaldo, who was playing for Al-Nassr at the time. Jesus made it clear that their connection began long before they worked together in Saudi Arabia, saying, “We were already friends in Portugal.”

He also explained that their busy schedules in Saudi Arabia meant they rarely had the chance to meet, despite working in the same league. In fact, Jesus said he had met Ronaldo more often in Portugal than in Saudi Arabia. Their relationship later moved from friendship to the pitch when Jesus took charge of Al-Nassr during the 2025-26 season. He coached Ronaldo throughout the campaign, with the pair going on to win the Saudi Pro League together.

The season also gave Jesus direct experience of managing Ronaldo and making decisions about his playing time. Al-Nassr played 50 matches, with Ronaldo featuring in 31 and being substituted 16 times. Then when Jesus was appointed Portugal manager in July 2026, his previous relationship with Ronaldo once again became part of the discussion.

Speaking at his presentation on July 10, Jesus made it clear that, “Cris is never going to be a problem for the national team. Not for the national team, nor for me.” He also stressed that Ronaldo’s place in the squad would be based on his condition and what he could offer the team, rather than their friendship. “As long as he’s playing and is in a condition to be selected, I will pick him, within certain limits and under the conditions that I consider best for the national team,” Jesus added.

Those comments showed that, despite their long-standing friendship and successful spell together at Al-Nassr, Jesus intended to make his decisions as Portugal coach based on what he believed was best for the national team.