Vitinha sends message to Cristiano Ronaldo amid Portugal turmoil: ‘I hope he returns’

Vitinha has joined the list of Portugal players weighing in on the Cristiano Ronaldo situation, calling for the captain to come back to the national team. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder spoke after scoring in his club’s 4-2 win over Manchester City in the Champions League, and addressed the dispute that has overshadowed Portugal’s recent international windows.

Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, Vitinha acknowledged that the break was a somewhat troubled one, full of emotions. The turmoil began when Ronaldo left Portugal’s camp in Copenhagen before Matchday 2 of the UEFA Nations League against Denmark, after being left on the bench against Norway, and it has overshadowed a run of four wins in four games for the team under Jorge Jesus.

Ronaldo later released a statement criticizing the coach for breaking his word, although he also apologized to his teammates and said he remains available to play for Portugal.

For his part, Vitinha kept his message simple and focused on the future. “For my part, I just hope everything works out for the best, that he comes back and everything is fine. The truth is that I think we all want that. I hope that happens, that he comes back and everything gets resolved,” the midfielder said.

Vitinha’s words land in the middle of a very different outlook from within Ronaldo’s own family. Cristiano’s sister, Elma Aveiro, said she believes he is more likely to stay away from the national team, and described a reconciliation with Jesus as a complicated prospect after what she called a betrayal.

The federation, meanwhile, takes a more optimistic tone. President Pedro Proenca has called the episode a misunderstanding that can still be fixed, and the first chance for Ronaldo to rejoin the squad would come in November, when Portugal face Denmark on the 14th and Wales on the 17th.

Rooney criticizes Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal exit

Former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney has criticized Ronaldo’s decision to leave Portugal’s camp and make the dispute with Jorge Jesus public, saying on the Stick to United podcast that it undermined both the coach and his teammates.

Rooney also rejected the idea that a player can tell his manager what to say publicly, and he argued that Ronaldo is struggling to accept that every player eventually has to leave international football. “It’s uncomfortable to watch,” he said.

Ronaldo is facing disciplinary proceedings from the Portuguese Football Federation, which has imposed a provisional suspension while the case is investigated. Reports differ on the possible length of the sanction, with figures ranging from 15 days in the best case to up to six months, and a fine is also possible.