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Listen to the article3 min, read by a synthetic voice

In brief

  • Netsonda's 483-person poll found 65% disagreeing with Ronaldo's exit in both the 2-7 October and 8-12 October waves. Among first-wave dissenters, 84% kept their view after his statement.

  • 43% of first-wave respondents sided more with Jorge Jesus, a figure that rose to 53% in the second wave. Only 10% in the first wave backed Ronaldo.

  • Elma Aveiro told reporters in Lisbon that Ronaldo is leaning towards not returning and that both he and Jesus are hurt. SAPO printed the same remarks under the name Kátia Aveiro.

  • Luis Henrique Miguel, the coach's lawyer according to La Razón, stopped writing for Record, citing Ronaldo's controlling stake in Medialivre, the paper's owner.

Photo: Ludovic Péron, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped). File photo, 2011
How it came to this
  1. Late September 2026Ronaldo leaves Portugal's training camp before the win over Denmark in Copenhagen
  2. Early October 2026Ronaldo issues a statement accusing coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his word over the Oslo match
  3. 8-12 October 2026Second Netsonda poll wave finds 65% still disagreeing with his exit

What the poll found

Netsonda, a market research firm, asked 483 people about Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Portugal's national team in two waves. The first ran from 2 to 7 October, before the player's version of events was public, and the second from 8 to 12 October, after his statement. In the first wave 65% disagreed with how he left, 40% of them strongly, while 15% agreed. The second wave barely moved: 65% still disagreed, 13% agreed, 22% stayed neutral and 5% did not answer. Of those who disagreed before the statement, 84% kept that view afterwards. Some 83% of respondents said they knew about the statement, 46% having read or heard it and 37% having learned of it from the news.

Netsonda poll: views on Ronaldo's exit from the national team%
Disagree, 2-7 October65%
Disagree, 8-12 October65%
Agree, 2-7 October15%
Agree, 8-12 October13%
Disagree, 2-7 October
65 %
Disagree, 8-12 October
65 %
Agree, 2-7 October
15 %
Agree, 8-12 October
13 %

Data from the article text

Coach or player

Asked whom they sided with, 43% of first-wave respondents backed the coach, Jorge Jesus, against 10% who backed the player. Support for Jesus grew after the statement, with 53% siding with him in the second wave. Another 11% said both sides had a point and 12% backed neither. About a quarter said they still lacked enough information to judge.

How the rift developed

Ronaldo left Portugal's training camp at the end of September, before the 2-4 win over Denmark at the Parken stadium in Copenhagen. According to Notícias ao Minuto, he had been warmed up in Oslo during the 1-2 win over Norway at the Ullevaal Stadion without being given the chance to play. In a statement issued in early October he accused Jesus of breaking his word. He also apologised to his teammates for leaving the camp. The outlet reported that his later comments on the subject at a press conference were aggressive in tone. In the statement he defended his record and his conduct:

“Never, at any point, have I interfered in any technical or tactical decision of any coach or national team manager, in almost 25 years of career.”

Cristiano Ronaldo, portugal's captain

Family and a columnist

Elma Aveiro, Ronaldo's sister, spoke to reporters in Lisbon after a book presentation that Jesus also attended. SAPO printed the same remarks under the name Kátia Aveiro. She said the public had forgotten what her brother had already achieved and that he deserved better treatment. Asked whether he wanted to return to the squad, she said:

“I don't think so. It's more no than yes.”

Elma Aveiro

She added that both men were hurt and that the situation was stuck, and she was doubtful they would make peace:

“When we are betrayed, going back to normal is very difficult.”

Elma Aveiro

Separately, Luis Henrique Miguel, the coach's lawyer according to La Razón, resigned as a columnist for the Record newspaper. He cited Ronaldo's controlling stake in Medialivre, the paper's owner. He said that while the captain remains in open conflict with Jesus, continuing to write there would be inappropriate, even embarrassing. He described the decision as a personal one, taken without pressure from anyone.

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Sources and context

  • Observadoron 14 Oct at 22:12Poll. 65% of Portuguese disagree with the way Ronaldo left the National TeamSondagem. 65% dos portugueses discordam da forma como Ronaldo saiu da Seleção · original in Portuguese
  • Notícias ao Minutoon 14 Oct at 21:53Will Cristiano return to the national team? “It's more of a no,” says Elma AveiroCristiano vai voltar à seleção? "Está mais para o não", diz Elma Aveiro · original in Portuguese
  • SAPOon 14 Oct at 21:17Kátia Aveiro and Cristiano Ronaldo's return to the National Team: “It's more no than yes”Kátia Aveiro e o regresso de Cristiano Ronaldo à Seleção Nacional: "Está mais para não do que para sim" · original in Portuguese
  • SIC Notíciason 14 Oct at 20:56Will Cristiano Ronaldo return to the National Team? “I don't think so,” says sister Elma AveiroCristiano Ronaldo vai regressar à Seleção Nacional? "Acho que não", diz a irmã Elma Aveiro · original in Portuguese
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal's captain whose departure from the national team is the subject of the poll and statement
Jorge Jesus
Portugal's national team coach in the dispute with Ronaldo

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Published on 14 Oct at 22:25.

Report an error in the text

Text generated by AI from the reports of the publishers listed and checked automatically, with no human editor. How Pollar is made

In this text

What the poll foundWhat the poll foundCoach or playerCoach or playerHow the rift developedHow the rift developedFamily and a columnistFamily and a columnist

Where

Lisbon

Based on reports by

Observador, Notícias ao Minuto, SAPO, SIC Notícias, La Razón

List of sources

Football · Lisbon, Copenhagen, and Oslo

65% of Portuguese disagree with how Ronaldo left the national team

A Netsonda poll of 483 people found 65% still disagreed with Cristiano Ronaldo's exit both before and after his statement, while his sister doubted he would return to the squad.

Lisbon
Lisbon, Copenhagen, Oslo · Portugal, Denmark, Norway

Ask about this text

AI text based on reports by Observador, Notícias ao Minuto, SAPO and other publishers. Published on 14 Oct at 22:25.

Ask your own question
How many people participated in the Netsonda poll?
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How it is made