The footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for coronavirus, the Portuguese Football Federation has said
International football star Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Portuguese Football Federation (PFF).
The Portuguese attacker will now be missing his country’s match against Sweden on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old athlete, who also plays for the Italian football team Juventus, is said to be “doing well, without symptoms, and in isolation”.
This comes after a man from the United States has caught COVID-19 twice, with the second infection being far more dangerous than the first, say doctors, and required hospital treatment after his lungs not being able to get enough oxygen throughout his body.
The PFF confirmed in a statement: “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 Cidade do Futebol.”
“The game (against Sweden), counting for the qualification phase of the Nations League, is scheduled for Wednesday, at 19:45, in Alvalade.”
Ronaldo had posted a photo of himself to his Instagram account on Monday which pictured him sat around a long dinner table with his fellow members of Portugal’s national football team.
Ronaldo posted a selfie with the Portugal squad on social media on Monday night with the caption “United on and off the field!”
During the game against France on Sunday night, Ronaldo was seen shaking hands and with a number of top stars including PSG’s Kylian Mbappe.
Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud also embraced Ronaldo at full-time, six days before the West London side’s next game against Southampton on Saturday.
France player Eduardo Camavinga swapped shirts with the Portugal star and later posted to say that he ‘wouldn’t wash it’.
Ronaldo played all 90 minutes of the game at the Stade de France in Paris, which ended goalless.
This comes after the aim of the government’s new 3-tier COVID-19 national lockdown system is to get the coronavirus under control by the beginning of next year and hopefully in time for Christmas, a minister has told the press.
Four days earlier, Ronaldo played in a friendly against Spain in Lisbon, embracing a team-mate and shaking hands with his manager after his second-half substitution.
His close contacts on that occasion included Tottenham Hotspur defender Sergio Reguilon, who is due back for his club side when they play West Ham on Sunday.
Portugal’s Jose Fonte and Anthony Lopes had already tested positive since the international break started, but it is not known whether Ronaldo was infected by them.
Ronaldo has scored every one of his league appearances with Juventus this season, including a brace in the 2-2 draw against Roma on the 27th of September.
The five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or has previously played for clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester United.