Cristiano Ronaldo's Wife Rodriguez Deletes Post Criticizing Portugal Coach

Cristiano Ronaldo's wife, Georgina Rodriguez, has deleted a social media post in which she criticized Portugal's coach, Jorge Jesus. The post included a fabricated quote attributed to former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Rodriguez, who has 78 million followers on Instagram, initially posted the fake quote on her story. The quote read: "If Jorge Jesus knew in his heart that he had no intention of using him, then why did he call him up in the first place? To make a point? That’s not authority, that’s insecurity." The quote and its accompanying imagery appeared to be AI-generated, as Ferguson has not commented on the situation.

Ronaldo, 41, left the Portugal team's training camp following comments made by Jesus in a press conference. The dispute began when Ronaldo was benched for Portugal's 2-1 victory over Norway, marking the first time in 18 years he had missed a full 90 minutes for the national side, barring injuries or suspensions.

In a statement on Instagram, Ronaldo confirmed his departure from the camp. "After the national team coach's press conference, and following a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have decided to leave the national team training camp," he stated. "In due time, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led to my departure from the national team, to which I have always dedicated myself. Now is the time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my teammates."

Jesus, who also managed Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, maintained that his conscience was clear. "It's not difficult for me to focus," he said. "You know what's difficult for me? It's not understanding what's going on inside. It's not knowing how to train my players. That's what's difficult for me. The rest... zero."

Teammate Bruno Fernandes expressed his desire to salvage the relationship between Ronaldo and the team. "To put an end to this matter once and for all, I don't need to speak with my colleagues. We know how to manage our situations," Fernandes said. "We have a situation that has nothing to do with the players, and our most important role is to deliver results."

Fernandes added, "I had a conversation with Cris. What I told him is that the most important thing, regardless of what happens, is that he will never cease to be the greatest symbol of our national team and country, for everything he has done in Portugal and around the world. He has a reserved place not only among the best of all time, but also in the hearts of the Portuguese people."

Ronaldo landed in Madrid on his private jet after flying from Copenhagen, where Portugal played Denmark. He had been seen leaving the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on Wednesday after missing a third consecutive training session.