‘CR7 Deserved More Respect’: Ronaldo’s Sister Reacts to Portugal Camp Exit

Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, has publicly defended the Portugal captain after he left the national team’s training camp in Copenhagen ahead of the Nations League clash with Denmark.

Aveiro reacted to the development on Instagram on Wednesday, sharing a message that criticised the treatment of her brother, the structure of the Portuguese national team and the country’s football media.

The message said Ronaldo deserved greater respect and argued that the national team needed more structure. It also criticised Portuguese journalism and contained strong comments about the Portuguese public and the country’s football history before Ronaldo’s emergence.

Aveiro ended the post with a message thanking her brother and saying he deserved more, adding to speculation about the 41-year-old forward’s future with the national team.

Her comments came shortly after Ronaldo announced that he had left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen.

Ronaldo said his decision followed a press conference by head coach Jorge Jesus and a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.

The Portugal captain said he would explain the reasons for his departure “in due course” and wished the team and his teammates success.

The Portuguese Football Federation subsequently confirmed that Ronaldo had left the camp and said preparations for the upcoming fixtures would continue with the remaining members of the squad.

The departure followed Ronaldo’s omission from Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway. Jesus had said Ronaldo would again not start against Denmark, although the coach denied that there had been a major confrontation between them.

Jesus also rejected reports that Ronaldo had refused to train, explaining that the player had completed individual physical work rather than joining the group session.

Ronaldo’s sudden exit has raised questions about his immediate future with Portugal, but neither the player nor the Portuguese Football Federation has announced his retirement from international football.

Ronaldo remains Portugal’s most-capped player and leading international goalscorer. His latest statement indicates that he intends to give his own explanation for the decision to leave the camp.

For now, Aveiro’s post has added another dimension to the controversy surrounding Ronaldo, Jesus and the Portugal national team, while the circumstances behind the captain’s departure remain subject to his promised explanation.