A message without words: did Ronaldo deliberately respond to rumours of a rebellion in Portugal?

Cristiano Ronaldo has thrown fresh doubt over his situation with the "Brazil of Europe" in the past few hours.

Reports had speculated about a rift between the Al-Nassr captain and Portugal boss Jorge Jesus after he sat out last Sunday's 2-1 win over Norway in the second round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.

The talk intensified when the Portuguese star skipped his national team's training session on Tuesday. He returned to the team hotel instead, opting for gym-based work.

Then came his response. Ronaldo posted a picture on his personal X account wearing the Portugal shirt, alongside his country's flag and a heart symbol.

🇵🇹 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/RnLE4HtfYi — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) September 29, 2026

The wordless message looked to play down rumours of his anger, 48 hours before Portugal face Denmark on Thursday in the third round of the group stage.

Ronaldo had started the opening game against Wales, a 1-0 win, but failed to score or provide an assist. He picked up the worst rating on either side before dropping to the bench against Norway.