Portugal boss says door open for Ronaldo return
Source: BBC Sport ↗ (cross-verified by 2 outlets — full list below)
Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41‑year‑old captain of Portugal, left the national team’s Nations League camp after being an unused substitute against Norway and learning he would not start in the upcoming match with Denmark. The decision followed his frustration at warming up during the second half of the Norway game without being brought on, marking the first time since 2008 that he had been a bench‑warmer in a competitive fixture for Portugal. Manager Jorge Jesus, who also coaches Ronaldo at Al‑Nassr, reiterated that the veteran’s return hinges entirely on his own choice, stating that he would welcome Ronaldo back “if he wants to” and that the player will decide how and when to conclude his international career.
Ronaldo’s departure comes as Portugal secured a 2‑1 victory over Norway, guaranteeing a place in the last eight of the Nations League as defending champions and extending their lead to six points over second‑placed Denmark. The win was achieved without Ronaldo, with AC Milan striker Gonçalo Ramos scoring in each of his three starts in the striker’s absence. Teammates João Cancelo and Nuno Mendes praised Ronaldo’s contributions, calling him the nation’s best player and emphasizing that any returning player would be received “with open arms.” The squad’s focus now shifts to the upcoming Group A4 fixtures against Denmark on 14 November and Wales three days later, where the team aims to maintain its unbeaten run.
Ronaldo, who has amassed 146 goals in 234 appearances—both world records for his country—and helped Portugal claim Euro 2016 and two Nations League titles, posted on social media that he will later explain his reasons for leaving the national side. Jesus had planned to discuss the matter after Portugal’s final group match, and he reiterated his need for Ronaldo’s presence, whether playing or not. The situation leaves open the possibility of a late‑stage return, with the veteran’s decision set to shape the final phase of Portugal’s campaign and his own legacy.
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The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.