Piers Morgan attacks Jorge Jesus after Cristiano Ronaldo remark

Jorge Jesus has been criticised by Piers Morgan after the Portugal manager made a sarcastic comment about Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence following a 4-1 defeat by Denmark in Braga.

Jesus, 72, was asked at his post-match news conference whether he missed Ronaldo, the Portugal captain and Al Nassr forward, who was unavailable for the game.

“Miss him? How? He is no longer with the national team, unless he is here to keep me company,” Jesus replied.

Portugal struggled to match Denmark during the heavy defeat, and Morgan used the result to launch a direct attack on the manager’s response.

Morgan responds to Jesus

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano shared Jesus’ comments on his official X account, where the remarks attracted significant attention. Morgan then replied to the post, criticising the way the Portugal manager had spoken about Ronaldo.

“This clown won’t be with the national team either if Portugal continue losing as they did today, Saturday,” the English broadcaster wrote.

Morgan’s comment linked Jesus’ future to Portugal’s results, suggesting that a continuation of defeats could leave the manager out of the national team’s plans in the same way Jesus had spoken about Ronaldo’s absence.

The exchange continues a public disagreement between Morgan and Jesus that has developed over recent weeks. Morgan has repeatedly defended Ronaldo during the controversy surrounding the forward’s omission from the Portugal squad.

He had previously criticised Jesus’ conduct and comments connected with the veteran forward, amid debate over the circumstances that led to Ronaldo being left out of the national team.

The dispute was reignited after the Denmark match, with Jesus’ answer bringing Ronaldo back into the discussion despite the player not featuring. Morgan’s response added another public confrontation between the two men.

As a result, the manager’s remark and Morgan’s reaction became a major focus of the debate surrounding Portugal’s defeat. What began as a question about Ronaldo’s absence turned into an open criticism of Jesus after the team’s 4-1 loss.

The result also intensified attention on the Portugal manager, with Morgan making clear that he believes Jesus’ position could come under pressure if poor results continue.

Jesus’ comments were made after Portugal failed to compete with Denmark in Braga, where the visitors secured a convincing victory. The defeat provided the immediate backdrop to the criticism, while Ronaldo’s absence remained central to the reaction that followed.

Morgan has been among the most prominent figures to support Ronaldo during the latest dispute, and his latest intervention ensures the disagreement over the Portugal captain’s status continues beyond the match itself.