From captaining Portugal at the young age of 22 to leaving the team camp ahead of news of an imminent benching, Cristiano Ronaldo’s isn’t explaining the reason behind his sudden team exit just yet. With an upcoming UEFA Nations League game against Denmark on Thursday, the 41-year-old left camp with a message for everyone about when he would tell “the truth”

“In due course, I will tell all the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led me to leave the national team, to which I always dedicated myself,” Ronaldo’s translated Instagram caption read.

In his message, he did particularly state that the decision to leave came after the national team’s press conference as well as a word with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation.

“Now is the time to wish Portugal and all my teammates good luck, without exception,” the caption concluded.

With 234 caps for his country, supporters have seen Ronaldo net the ball a record 146 times, placing him above Lionel Messi’s 125. This made his absence on the field against Norway all the more puzzling for many who had spent their lives watching him play for the Portuguese side.

In fact, it was the first time in 18 years that Ronaldo was listed in the squad but failed to make an appearance for a competitive game. The last time this happened was during the 2008 Euros against Switzerland.

At the 51st minute, Erling Haaland’s equalizer would have had many believing that Ronaldo would soon be brought on, but head coach Jorge Jesus explained that those original plans were changed later.

The reason for this was AC Milan striker Goncalo Ramos, who had been playing well.

“My plan was for him to come on in the 2nd half, the match dictated otherwise,” the head coach revealed. “It didn’t make sense to bring on a striker with his characteristics.”

While there is debate over whether Ronaldo should have been brought on, Ramos’ presence did result in Portugal regaining the lead three minutes later with a 54th-minute goal.

Interestingly, Ronaldo was also not seen later in Oslo when his teammates thanked the fans for showing up. He was seen walking straight down the tunnel moments before.

While the evening didn’t go quite as planned for the Portugal veteran, the team did take control of their group with 6 points to their name now.

Portugal aim for a UEFA Nations League Quarter-Final spot

Portugal may be on top of their group 4 (League A) at the moment, but the quarter-finals are still a long way to go. After a crucial win against the Erling Haaland-led Norway, the team can now strengthen their grip on the top spot with a win against Denmark.

Their last defeat came not too long ago in the FIFA World Cup to this year’s winner, Spain, in early July. That was in the round of 16, as they failed to reach the quarter-final stage. That is another reason why reaching the final eight in this tournament would also mean a lot to the team.

With 6 points on the table, they have been off to a flying start with wins against Wales and Norway in the Last week. That being said, both wins have been by a close margin, boosting their GD to +2.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has not scored in his last two appearances for the team against Spain and Wales, which could partly have influenced the head coach’s decision.

Before the international break ends, they also have another key fixture in store for them as they face Norway once again. As things stand, Ronaldo would miss that pivotal game as well before the international break ends.

In their next international fixture window, the team will play their final two group stage games against Denmark and Wales in November. It will certainly be interesting to see if Ronaldo joins the team for those fixtures next month. For now, though, fans will be keen to learn more about the reasons behind his exit as they await further clarity on the matter.

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