PORTUGAL ROW CONTINUES! Fernandes sends message to Ronaldo as Man Utd star picks side after he walked out

Bruno Fernandes has called for calm and unity in the Portugal squad following the shock departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, who he stressed is the "greatest icon of our national team".

Ronaldo decided to leave the team midway through the current Nations League international break after falling out with manager Jorge Jesus. The veteran striker felt disrespected by Jesus, who left him on the bench for the 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday.

A crisis meeting was arranged earlier this week but did not resolve the issue, prompting Ronaldo to leave and put his international career in serious jeopardy. In a bombshell statement on social media, the 41-year-old, who has a staggering 146 goals in 234 caps, said he would "tell all" about what had happened "in time".

The saga has overshadowed the build-up to Portugal's match against Norway in Porto on Sunday and Fernandes was forced to address it in his pre-match press conference.

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“To put an end to this matter once and for all, I don’t need to speak with my colleagues,” the Manchester United captain said. “We know how to manage our situations. 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. We cannot divide ourselves; the national team is one, and all parties should resolve their issues behind closed doors. I think that’s how it will be, and that everything will end well on both sides.

“We are out of the matter; we spend a lot of time playing cards and are outside the controversy surrounding this issue, but I ask that the country not be divided, not make choices, and accept all sides.

“Cris will always be the greatest icon of our national team, of world football, and deserves the respect of all Portuguese people, regardless of who likes him more or less.”

Ronaldo has kept a low profile in recent days, but his wife Georgina Rodriguez showed the depth of ill feeling between the Al-Nassr star and Jesus. "I don’t know how this man can carry the name of Christ," she wrote in a swiftly-deleted Instagram post.

Jesus managed Ronaldo at Al-Nassr last season before replacing Roberto Martinez as Portugal boss and the 72-year-old has drawn a line in the sand. “The focus has to be on the national team above all else,” he said bluntly on Saturday.

“Regarding Norway, what we have to do well is for our people to also be in tune with the flag and the objective. Ronaldo is a symbol of the national team and of Portugal. After the game, there is plenty of time to talk about that.”