PORTUGAL. Portuguese footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for COVID-19. The news comes just days after the five-time Ballon d’Or winner played for Portugal against France in the Nations League in an international friendly match. This indicates that he has come into recent contact with a host of football’s top stars.
Ronaldo immediately left the national team after his COVID-19 test. Due to this, he will miss Wednesday’s match against Sweden. Along with that, he will also miss his upcoming club matches for Juventus.
Just hours before the news was announced, Ronaldo clicked a picture with his international team-mates at dinner.
According to the reports, the 35-year-old is asymptomatic and is now self-isolating. Ronaldo’s positive test comes shortly after two of his Portuguese team-mates also tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier, Portuguese footballers, Anthony Lopes and Jose Fonte also tested positive for COVID-19.
In an open statement, the Portuguese Football Association said: “Cristiano Ronaldo was released from the work of the National Team after a positive test for COVID-19, so he will not face Sweden. The Portuguese international is doing well, without symptoms, and in isolation”.
Following the positive case of Ronaldo, the remaining players underwent new tests on Tuesday morning. Luckily, all of them tested negative in the COVID-19 test.
The likes of Milan Skriniar, Leo Dubois, Manuel Akanji, Naby Keita and Amadou Diawara have all also contracted COVID-19 while away with their national teams.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s positive test will raise questions over whether international fixtures should have gone at the height of a pandemic.
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