Bruno Fernandes urges unity as Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Portugal squad

Portugal face Norway with questions to answer after a high profile dispute.

Written by the BettingEdgeHub desk, 4 October 2026

Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes has called for calm across the nation following the sudden departure of Cristiano Ronaldo from the training camp. Ronaldo left the squad after a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus over playing time during a recent victory against Norway. Fernandes stepped up to wear the captain armband as the team secured a four to two win over Denmark.

Market reaction and odds

Punters are taking notice of how the team performs without their long time captain on the pitch. Statistics show that Portugal win a higher percentage of matches and score more goals per game when Ronaldo does not feature in the starting lineup. These numbers could shorten their odds for upcoming fixtures if bettors believe the attack flows better with younger options.

Fernandes spoke to reporters to calm the tension and urged fans not to take sides in the ongoing dispute. He emphasized that Ronaldo remains the greatest symbol of the national team and deserves full respect from everyone. The squad is trying to block out the noise and focus entirely on the next match.

Looking ahead to Norway

Portugal return to action on Sunday with a home fixture against Norway at the Estadio do Dragao. Norway currently sit on three points and will need a strong performance to turn their group campaign around. Bookmakers will monitor how Portugal handle the pressure of this internal drama as kickoff approaches.

What it means for a bet

Punters should consider backing Portugal to score freely if the recent attacking statistics without Ronaldo continue to influence the betting markets.

Carry on from here

Today’s betting tipsEvery price side by side, with the reasons against printed too.More football bettingEverything else we have written in this section.Bookmakers in United StatesOnly the ones that hold a licence where you are.The forumWhat other people are backing, and what they are avoiding.

18+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. This is a news page, not advice and not a tip. Nothing here is a promise about any result. Our calls live on the betting tips pages, with the reasons against them printed next to the reasons for them.