Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo left the national team training camp ahead of their Nations League campaign against Norway, which has created speculation around his retirement. France will face Belgium next, and France’s head coach, Zinedine Zidane, was asked about Ronaldo’s poor end to his illustrious career.

“No, I think he should be congratulated on his great career. What he did is exceptional,” Zidane said.

“I was lucky to have him with me and he made me win incredible things, so I take my hat off to Cristiano. I will always have great respect for him, as for all players, but even more so for those with whom I shared so much time, and in particular Cristiano, who made us win so much,” said Zidane who coached Ronaldo during his time at Real Madrid.

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“Perhaps the difference is that at a club it never stops; it is day to day, it is very all-consuming. I loved doing that, and now I have another side to it and I will try to do it this way, which will be a little different. But in any case, the desire to work well around my team is the same,” he added.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Portugal Head coach George Jesus said that he was not planning to start Ronaldo in Portugal’s game against Denmark in the Nations League on Thursday, adding that there is no feud between the pair. After the said press conference, Ronaldo put out a post on Instagram saying that he would be leaving the Portugal camp which was preparing for the upcoming Nations League matches.

“After the national team press conference, and following a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have decided to leave the national team training camp. In time, I will tell all the Portuguese the truth about the reasons that motivated me to leave the national team, to which I always devoted myself. Now is the time to wish Portugal and all my teammates good luck, without exception,” Ronaldo posted on Instagram.