Portugal's convincing triumph away to Denmark was not enough to quell the escalating scandal surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's demonstrative departure. In the early hours of the day, a number of key locations in Lisbon and the surrounding area dawned with large-scale protest posters aimed directly at coach Jorge Jesus and the Portuguese Football Federation.
„Thank you, Cristiano, for everything you've done for Portugal. You will always be our captain“, read the inscriptions on the posters, depicting a colorful portrait of CR7 against the background of the national flag.
In sharp contrast to it is a black and white photo of a bowed Jorge Jesus, accompanied by harsh criticism: “You were not at the required level. You treat a captain badly. Inflated ego“.
The banners are placed in three key locations – near the “Lous“ stadium, near the international airport in Lisbon, as well as in front of the Portuguese Football Federation building in Oeiras. The one in front of the FPF headquarters was already quickly removed by local authorities due to lack of advertising permission.
Frozen relations before the clash with NorwayThe rift between the captain and the coaching staff seems to be deepening and difficult to repair at this stage. Tensions remain high, and Jorge Jesus has said that his focus is entirely on the upcoming match against Norway, with analysis and discussions about Ronaldo's future only taking place after the international break.