Cristiano Ronaldo will not attend Portugal’s press conference ahead of their opening World Cup game against Ghana.
Ronaldo, who has been captain for over a decade, would normally be expected to take his place alongside manager Fernando Santos.
But it is understood that he will not attend, with Bruno Fernandes likely to fulfil the duties instead.
Ronaldo’s no-show is due to come just hours after his contract with Manchester United was terminated following his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan that saw him criticise the club and manager Erik Ten Hag.
The interview aired last week, and Ronaldo pulled no punches, admitting that he had ‘no respect’ for Ten Hag as he felt the Dutchman did not respect him.
The 37-year-old also labelled United a ‘marketing club’, accusing the Glazer family of caring more about off-field activities rather than what is happening on the pitch.
United released a statement on Tuesday evening confirming that they had parted ways with Ronaldo by ‘mutual consent’, ending his second spell at the club.
As exclusively revealed by Sportsmail, Ronaldo will receive no compensation, meaning he will not get the £16m he was due to earn if he’d seen out his contract.
Glazers to leave too
Ronaldo’s exit was not the only major statement released on Tuesday night, as a matter of minutes after his contract was ripped up, the Glazer family confirmed they are open to selling the club.
They have owned the Red Devils since 2005, but their reign could be set to end in the not-too-distant future.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo is now a free agent, and has been linked with a move to Chelsea, with Blues owner Todd Boehly reportedly keen on bringing the Portuguese star to Stamford Bridge.
His club future remains uncertain, but Ronaldo recently insisted that he is ‘committed and focused’ on Portugal, with the striker aiming to lead his country to glory at his fifth World Cup.
