Bruno Fernandes: Ronaldo remains the greatest symbol of Portugal and deserves everyone's respect

- Jesus agrees to “peace summit” to end the crisis... Portuguese Football Federation awaits “The Don’s” approval

- Widespread fan reaction to the crisis... National team’s Instagram account loses over two million followers

The crisis between Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal coach Jorge Jesus has entered a new phase, following Portuguese reports that Jesus has agreed to participate in a “peace summit” sought by the Portuguese Football Federation to resolve the dispute. Meanwhile, the national team captain’s approval remains pending, as Bruno Fernandes defends him and calls for unity, while the official national team Instagram account has lost over two million followers since the crisis erupted.

Fernandes told reporters on Saturday that he spoke with Ronaldo after he left the national team’s training camp in Copenhagen, affirming that what happened would not change the status of the 41-year-old star in the history of Portuguese football.

He added that Ronaldo would never cease to be the “biggest symbol” of the national team, Portuguese football, and the country, given his achievements not only in Portugal but across the world, emphasizing that he holds a place among the best in history and in the hearts of the Portuguese.

The Manchester United player urged against inflaming the crisis or fostering division over it, denying the existence of splits within the national team and stressing that the squad would remain united despite any “noise” coming from outside.

Fernandes said the most important thing was for the crisis to be resolved satisfactorily for both sides, calling on Portuguese fans not to take sides and to respect all parties involved.

For his part, Jesus described Ronaldo as a “symbol of the Portuguese national team and of Portugal,” while confirming that his focus is on Sunday’s match against Norway in Porto, adding that there would be time to discuss the captain’s situation after the game.

In the latest developments aimed at containing the crisis, the Portuguese newspaper “A Bola” reported that Jesus has agreed to participate in a “peace summit” organized by the Portuguese Football Federation to bridge the gap between the two sides, with the federation still awaiting Ronaldo’s approval to attend the meeting.

These moves aim to end the dispute and prevent the historic international career of Ronaldo from concluding in this manner, amid uncertainty surrounding his future with the national team.

Ronaldo left the Portugal camp on Wednesday following escalating tensions with Jesus. The national team captain stated via Instagram that his decision to leave came after the coach’s press conference and a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença, noting that he would reveal the reasons for his decision “at the appropriate time.”

Ronaldo’s departure came one day before Portugal’s match against Denmark in the UEFA Nations League, which Portugal won 4-2, moving them to nine points at the top of their group.

The fallout from the crisis extended to social media, with reports indicating that the official Portuguese national team Instagram account lost over two million followers, dropping from more than 25 million to approximately 22.9 million, amid widespread reactions from Ronaldo’s fans.

“A Bola” had noted that in the early hours of the crisis, the account’s follower count fell from about 24.942 million on Wednesday evening to around 24.6 million the following morning, before the rate of unfollows accelerated in the subsequent days.

The Portuguese national team is preparing to face Norway on Sunday in Porto, a match Jesus said he wants to keep the focus on before returning to discussions about the Ronaldo crisis and his future with the national team.