The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed the news in an official statement on Tuesday, which reads: “Cristiano Ronaldo was released from training with the national team after a positive test for Covid-19, so he will not face Sweden.
“The Portugal international is doing well, without symptoms, and in isolation.
“Following the positive test, the remaining players underwent new tests on Tuesday morning, and all produced a negative result and are available to Fernando Santos for training this afternoon.”
Ronaldo will now sit out Portugal’s Nation’s League meeting with Sweden scheduled for Wednesday night. He will also begin a ten-day period of self-isolation as per the required guidelines and necessary measures.
The 35-year-old is also set to miss Juventus‘ trip to Crotone in Serie A this weekend. Elsewhere, he will also miss his side’s Champions League group stage opener against Dynamo Kiev on October 20.
He played the full 90 minutes of Portugal’s 0-0 draw with 2018 World Cup winners France on Sunday, winning his 167th international cap in the process.
The goalless stalemate means Portugal and France are level on seven points. Portugal are only ahead on goal difference as it stands.
Wednesday’s opponents Sweden are bottom of the group and have failed to pick a point from their opening three games of the tournament.
In the first leg of the same game back in September, Ronaldo became the first European player to reach 100 international goals after bagging a brace in Portugal’s 2-0 win on that occasion.
Ronaldo now has his sights on Iranian Ali Daei’s record for a male international of 109 goals. However, the latest ruling out could be a setback in those plans.
