According to the Daily Mail, Ronaldo left the Portuguese national team training camp after being benched for the first time in 18 years during Portugal's match.

Messi will make his final appearance for Argentina in Buenos Aires next week. The friendly match against Benin is being called "The Last Tango" and gives Argentina the chance to honor one of the greatest players of all time.

It remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will receive a similar farewell from his international career. Messi appears to have calmly accepted the decision and understood the limitations of age, while Ronaldo has angrily fought against the passage of time.

It is difficult not to feel sympathy watching the 41-year-old Ronaldo leave Portugal's training camp. He started in the previous match against Wales, but head coach Jorge Jesus did not include him even from the bench in Portugal's UEFA Nations League victory over Norway in Oslo on Sunday. This was the first time in 18 years that Ronaldo did not feature in a Portugal match.

Afterward, Ronaldo skipped training on Tuesday, then had dinner with Jesus to try to resolve the dispute. He has made 234 appearances for Portugal, scoring 146 goals. Leaving the national team this way, especially at this stage of his career, suggests that the end may be near.

In fact, Portugal has long needed stronger leadership. Many believe that Ronaldo has not deserved a starting spot for Portugal for at least five years. He has become an example of an aging star relying solely on personal image and past glory.

He now appears to be playing only for himself. Ronaldo has scored 979 career goals and hopes to become the first player officially recognized to reach 1,000 goals. Pelé, Romário, and others claim to have reached this milestone, but their numbers largely relied on unofficial matches, including exhibition games.

Now, it seems Ronaldo's goal tally may only continue to grow with Al Nassr in the Saudi league. The club, which signed him in December 2022, also appears to feed his ego. Shortly before that, he left Manchester United, claiming he was betrayed by the club that made his name in English football.

Former Portugal coach Roberto Martinez lacked the courage and will to confront this issue. He was influenced by Ronaldo's pull, insisting on using him frequently at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and the recent World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Portugal had a very talented squad at both tournaments, but Ronaldo's inclusion always sparked major controversy and divided public opinion. He played on reputation, not performance. Portugal suffered at both competitions. At the World Cup held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Portugal was among the favorites to win, but had a poor start and was eventually eliminated by Spain in the round of 16.

Ronaldo later said he was considering retiring from international football, but ultimately decided to continue playing. He was a great player in his prime, second only to Messi among this generation of superstars, but he has long since fallen from that level, and now even his past reputation appears unable to save him.

He has become the type of legend who refuses to leave the stage, only to damage his own legacy. Watching him play now is like watching a boxer who has taken too many punches. Those who truly care about him hope he will stop, but Ronaldo cannot.

He has been an exemplary professional throughout his career, fully dedicating himself to the sport, but now he cannot let go. He is addicted to the game and the spotlight, and cannot bear when a coach says "no". When Jesus did so, Ronaldo left the training camp.

This scene has been long overdue. Many were surprised that former PSG striker Gonçalo Ramos, now playing for AC Milan, was not Portugal's main center forward at this year's World Cup. However, Jesus started him against Norway, and Ramos repaid that decision with the winning goal.

Jesus has indicated that Ramos, not Ronaldo, will remain Portugal's main center forward for the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark in Copenhagen tonight. This apparently proved too difficult for Ronaldo to accept. Time catches up with everyone, no matter how great they are. Messi acknowledged this after the World Cup final. We can only hope that Ronaldo will also accept reality at some point and stop further eroding his legacy.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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