By Adedapo Adesanya
Football star, Cristiano Ronaldo, has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a statement from the Portuguese Football Federation (PFF) on Tuesday.
The Portuguese and Juventus of Italy player was said to be doing well and has not shown any symptoms of the virus but he is currently in isolation.
PFF 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.”
The rest of the Portugal squad were also tested on Tuesday and all returned negative results and are available for the Group C’s A3 match in Lisbon.
“Following the positive case, the remaining players underwent new tests this Tuesday morning, all with a negative result, and are available to Fernando Santos for training this afternoon, in the City of Football,” the statement said.
The European champions will play Sweden for the qualification phase of the Nations League scheduled for Wednesday, at 19:45, in Alvalade.
Ronaldo, 35, played the full 90 minutes of Portugal’s goalless draw with France in Paris on Sunday, having also featured against Spain in Lisbon last Thursday.
Portugal boss, Fernando Santos, said of the draw with France: “It was a very even game; the players were too cautious. I don’t know if there was too much respect from both sides, but the game looked like that. It wasn’t very fast, but it was balanced.”
Portugal goes into the match on top of Group C, having won two of their opening fixtures and drawing the other against Les Bleus.
Sweden have lost all three of their opening matches and are rock bottom without a point
Ronaldo becomes the latest player to test positive for the virus. Others who have contracted the contagion are Paul Pogba, Riyadh Mahrez, Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte among others.
Dipo Olowookere