Georgina Rodriguez took the post down within minutes. The screenshots were already everywhere.

On Saturday evening, Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner shared an Instagram story aimed at Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus. The caption traded on the fact that the coach’s surname is literally the name of Christ in Portuguese.

“I don’t know how this man can bear the name of Christ,” Rodriguez wrote.

The second element of the story was a graphic quoting Sir Alex Ferguson. Ferguson has not spoken publicly about Portugal’s handling of Ronaldo, and the quote circulating under his name was fabricated, with several outlets noting the wording and framing appeared AI-generated.

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“If Jorge Jesus knew in his heart that he had no intention of using him, then why did he call him up in the first place? To make a point? That’s not authority, that’s insecurity,” the fake quote read.

A warm-up, no appearance, a flight out

The context is an earlier Nations League fixture against Norway, in which Ronaldo was left as an unused substitute despite warming up on the touchline.

Portugal’s captain left the Copenhagen camp on his private jet last Wednesday after being told he would not start the following match against Denmark. Spanish outlet Marca reported he took the jet to Madrid. Portugal beat Denmark 4-2 without him, then defeated Norway 2-1 on Sunday to secure a place in the Nations League quarter-finals.

Jesus: ‘There was no issue’

Jesus, who took the Portugal job in July 2026 on a four-year contract after Roberto Martinez’s departure, has rejected the idea of a rift with his captain.

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“It seems like there was an issue between us, but there was no issue. I’m the one who makes the decisions and everybody knows that,” he told reporters before the Denmark fixture.

“I can promise whatever I want, I’m the coach. No player will ever make a decision for me.”

The coach also said he had planned to use Ronaldo as a substitute against Norway but changed his mind as the game went on. In Ronaldo’s absence against Denmark and Norway, Rafael Leao wore the Portugal No. 7 shirt and Goncalo Ramos started up front, scoring the winner against Norway.

Rodriguez’s account, which carries more than 78 million followers, now shows no trace of either story. Ronaldo himself, in an Instagram post after leaving the camp, promised to tell “the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons behind my departure” in due course.

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