Medhi Benatia has shared his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo‘s exit from Portugal’s camp. He hoped that the veteran could return to get a proper farewell from international football.
Cristiano Ronaldo left the Portugal camp during the ongoing international break earlier this week. He played their opening 2026-27 UEFA Nations League game against Wales, as they won 1-0. He was then benched in their 2-1 win over Norway away.
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The Al-Nassr superstar then left the camp on Wednesday, September 30, ahead of their clash against Denmark away, which they won 4-2. It’s unclear what the future holds for the 41-year-old with the national team. Meanwhile, Benatia has shared his thoughts on the controversy, saying on Canal+:
“I hope we see Cristiano Ronaldo again in the selection and that he gets the ending he deserves.”
Benatia played two games against Ronaldo at the club and international level. He lost 1-0 against Portugal with Morocco in the 2018 FIFA World Cup group stage. He beat the forward’s Real Madrid side 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League 2017-18 quarter-finals second leg, but lost 4-3 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, A Selecao have one more game remaining in the ongoing international break. They will face Norway at home on Sunday, October 4.
Cristiano Ronaldo likes post about comparison between Portugal’s treatment of him vs Argentina’s treatment of Lionel Messi: Report
Former Brazil defender Felipe Melo has hit out at the treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal. He compared it to Argentina’s support for Lionel Messi and said that he supports the former Real Madrid superstar.
According to GOAL, he said on Sport TV:
“There is a big difference in how the Portuguese treat Cristiano Ronaldo and how the Argentinians treat Lionel Messi. But I also see more respect from opponents when they play against Ronaldo than from his own team-mates.”
Melo also referenced Rasmus Hojlund’s push on Jorge Jesus in Portugal’s win over Denmark in their last game, and added:
“I see more respect from him than from his own international teammates. Nobody there even comes close to him, nobody is even in the same class as Cristiano. You cannot just let the best player in history leave.”
Notably, Ronaldo appeared to like an Instagram post that carried Melo’s comments.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 146 goals and provided 45 assists in 235 games for A Selecao. He is the leading goalscorer and appearance maker in men’s international football, winning one UEFA Euro and two UEFA Nations League trophies.
Edited by Aditya Singh