CRISTIANO Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, has publicly defended the Portugal captain following his unexpected departure from the national team’s training camp, accusing the country of failing to give the veteran forward the respect he deserves.
Aveiro shared a message on her Instagram account on Wednesday, accompanying it with a brief comment in Portuguese which, translated into English, means, “everything has been said here”.
The message expressed strong criticism of Portugal’s treatment of Ronaldo, while also taking aim at sections of the country’s media and football establishment.
The post read: “CR7 deserved more respect. The national team deserved more structure.
“Portuguese journalism deserved more competence and less speculation.
“As for the Portuguese people, well… they don’t deserve to have the best at anything.
“We are envious, disdainful, ignorant, and we deserve to return to the mediocrity we always had in football before CR7.
“Thank you for everything, CR7! You deserved more!”
Aveiro’s intervention came just hours after Ronaldo announced that he had left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Nations League clash with Denmark.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner said his decision followed comments made by national team manager Jorge Jesus at a press conference and a subsequent conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.
“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,” Ronaldo said in a statement posted on Instagram.
“In due course, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons behind my departure from the national team, to which I have always been fully committed.
“Now is the time to wish Portugal and all my team-mates, without exception, the best of luck,” he added.
Ronaldo’s departure followed growing reports of tension surrounding his role in the national side.
The 41-year-old forward was an unused substitute when Portugal defeated Norway 2-1 in their previous Nations League fixture, while Jesus had indicated that Ronaldo would not be included in the starting line-up against Denmark.
The Portuguese Football Federation subsequently confirmed that Ronaldo had left the training camp.
Jesus, however, denied reports that Ronaldo had refused to train or that there had been a major confrontation between the pair.
The circumstances surrounding the departure have nevertheless raised fresh questions about Ronaldo’s international future.
Neither Ronaldo nor the Portuguese Football Federation has announced that the veteran forward is retiring from international football.
Ronaldo remains Portugal’s record goalscorer and most-capped player, having established himself as one of the most decorated figures in the history of the national team.
Reuters reported that his international future had become uncertain following his departure from the camp.
Aveiro’s message has further intensified speculation, particularly its closing line: “Thank you for everything, CR7! You deserved more!”
The wording could be interpreted as suggesting that Ronaldo’s time with Portugal may be approaching its conclusion. However, Ronaldo himself has not announced his retirement and has indicated that he intends to explain the circumstances surrounding his decision to leave the camp at a later date.
For now, the focus remains on the circumstances surrounding his departure and whether the episode will have any lasting impact on the relationship between Portugal’s record international goalscorer and the national team.
