Cristiano Ronaldo, the former Portugal captain, chose to spend his time pursuing a new hobby away from football, at the same time as the press conference held by Jorge Jesus and Bernardo Silva on Friday evening to discuss the Denmark fixture in the UEFA Nations League, which raised questions over whether the player wanted to send a message that he is ignoring the coach following their dispute that led him to retire from international football.
Ronaldo posted a photo on his Instagram account alongside two friends while playing golf, timed to the very moment Portugal's press conference was due to begin ahead of the clash with Denmark.
He had spent several days in Portugal, staying at his mansion in the Quinta da Marinha area of Cascais. Now he was back in Riyadh, where golf appears to have become his latest hobby alongside football.
The Portuguese wasn't alone out on the course. Joining him were José Semedo, chief executive of Saudi club Al-Nassr, and Simão Coutinho, the club's sporting director.
InstagramHis appearance in Riyadh comes days after he announced the end of his international career with Portugal. A new chapter begins away from the national team, just as his former teammates prepare for Portugal's first match without him, against Denmark.
Jesus talks about honouring Ronaldo
At the press conference, Jesus insisted Cristiano Ronaldo will remain a legend in the history of Portuguese football, and he stressed how much Ronaldo's continued support for the new generations matters.
Jesus addressed the Portuguese Football Federation's plan to honour Ronaldo during the clash with Denmark, saying: "This matter falls within the responsibility of the Portuguese Federation, specifically my football and sporting affairs departments, along with the president of the federation."
"I think this idea is wonderful," he added. "No one can forget the 23 years that Cristiano spent with the national team, and what he gave and what he represented in the world of football, whether with the national team or the other clubs."
Portuguese press reports indicated yesterday, Thursday, that all of Portugal's players will walk onto the pitch before the match against Denmark wearing the famous number 7 shirt associated with Ronaldo, an unprecedented tribute celebrating the star's historic legacy with his country.
"I did not work with Cristiano for a single week, but spent a whole year with him," Jesus continued, "and therefore I know very well how important he is, not only for the new players, but also for the youth across all parts of the world."
He went on: "I think it is a wonderful idea that we continue not to forget that he is a legend of Portuguese football. I no longer know what will happen, he alone knows."
Asked about his attacking options in Ronaldo's absence, and his view of Gustavo Varela and Fábio Silva, Jesus replied: "The two players possess different characteristics. Gustavo Varela is an out-and-out striker, and he closely resembles Gonçalo Ramos."
"As for Fábio, he possesses a greater ability to move, and he knows how to lead the attack on his own," he explained. "As I said, he often plays with Borussia Dortmund as a second striker, and for this reason we selected him in the first squad, because we saw that he possesses different characteristics from Cristiano and Gonçalo Ramos."
I am the Head of shifts and oversee content. I have over 15 years of experience in sports journalism. I studied media and have worked for a number of Arabic print newspapers and websites, but the most significant milestone in my career was joining Kooora, the leading Arabic sports website, in 2016.
I always strive to provide reliable content, backed by numbers and statistics, free from exaggeration. I love the language of numbers because it knows no flattery. I have covered major soccer events, with a special focus on highlighting Arab soccer stars and their impact on the global stage.
Throughout my career, my work has focused on covering soccer—whether Egyptian, Arab, or international—and my interest has now shifted to Saudi soccer, following the massive boom the Kingdom has experienced over the past few years.
I’ve been connected to soccer since childhood. My first memory of the sport dates back to the 1998 World Cup. Although I was only 8 years old at the time, the excitement of the matches drew me in deeply, and I can’t forget Zinedine Zidane’s brilliance in the final and how he led the French national team to its first title in the tournament.
Brazilian Ronaldo was one of the legends who contributed to my passion for soccer at the start of this century; his goal-scoring style was amazing—he never missed in front of the goal. Then Cristiano Ronaldo emerged, and to this day I consider him my favorite player, because he inspired me with a sense of challenge and an unwavering desire to win, and this has been reflected in my writing style.
My articles focus on coverage of the Saudi Pro League, as well as other leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League. I also follow the transfer market closely and try to analyze the deals.
If you asked me what my fondest soccer memory is, I couldn’t think of anything better than the moment Egypt qualified for the 2018 World Cup—especially since it was our first qualification in 28 years, and the first time I’d ever seen my national team compete in the world’s biggest soccer tournament.
As for my all-time favorite lineup, it is as follows: Iker Casillas in goal. Paolo Maldini, Sergio Ramos, Cafu, and Roberto Carlos on defense. Andrés Iniesta, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldinho in midfield. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Ronaldo Nazário up front.
Throughout my career, I’ve published a number of my favorite analyses and articles on Kooora, including:
A massive budget and a disappointing elimination... Why did Al Ahly fail at the Club World Cup?
Concerns over Salah’s rest and the opening of the black file... Will Liverpool regret the Firts deal?
The Benzema Law rules Al-Nassr... Ronaldo charts his future the French way
Alonso solves Klopp’s puzzle… Arnold: from defensive liability to offensive weapon
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