Portugal defender Nuno Mendes has said the national team is ready to welcome any player who joins the squad, while making it clear that decisions concerning Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation are not for the players to determine.
Mendes said the squad’s immediate priority is its upcoming match at the Dragão and carrying out the instructions of head coach Jorge Jesus. The Paris Saint-Germain defender acknowledged Ronaldo’s importance to the national team but said the players should concentrate on their responsibilities on the pitch rather than the wider situation surrounding the captain.
“He is a player for the national team, and we are more focused on what we have to do now and on what the coach wants to bring to us,” Mendes said, according to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on X on Friday.
Asked specifically about the situation involving Ronaldo, Mendes added: “As for the rest, it’s not for us to decide.” He also stressed that the squad would be prepared to welcome any player who joins the team, saying: “We’re here to welcome any player who joins us.”
The comments come as Portugal prepare for their next fixture at the Dragão, with the coaching staff seeking to keep the squad focused on the match rather than the attention surrounding Ronaldo.
Coach Jorge Jesus has also called on the team to concentrate on the fixture first, saying the Ronaldo situation would be considered after the match. “Now we have to focus on the Dragão match and on what we can do in it,” Jesus said. “After the Dragão match, we’ll see what happens.”
Jesus’ comments reinforce the position taken by Mendes that the players should leave decisions concerning Ronaldo to the appropriate authorities and focus on their preparation and performance.
Portugal defender Renato Veiga, who said he remains close to Ronaldo, also declined to provide details about the situation. Veiga said Ronaldo knows that he has “a lot of affection” for him but explained that he had been instructed not to discuss the matter publicly.
“I’m very close to Cristiano Ronaldo, and he knows I have a lot of affection for him,” Veiga said. “But I’ve been instructed not to talk about this. I can’t talk about it.”
For now, the Portugal squad is maintaining its focus on the Dragão fixture, while the players and coaching staff have avoided making decisions or public pronouncements about Ronaldo’s situation, saying those matters will be addressed at the appropriate time.
SOURCE: PUNCH
