Oct 4 (Reuters) - Portugal head coach ⁠Jorge Jesus said Cristiano Ronaldo can return to the national team ⁠if he chooses to, leaving the door open for the 41-year-old captain ‌after his abrupt departure from the squad last week.

Ronaldo left Portugal's training camp after being an unused substitute in a win over Norway and learning he would not start against Denmark. He ​subsequently said on social media that he would explain ⁠his reasons for leaving the ⁠national team "in due course".

"If he wants to, he'll return to the national team. We ⁠can ‌talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who's going to decide," Jesus told reporters after Portugal's 2-1 Nations League win ⁠over Norway on Sunday.

"He's the one who should decide how ​he wants to ‌end his time with the national team. In my first call-up, I ⁠said, 'I need you, ​I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you'. And now I'm saying the same thing."

Defending champions Portugal won 4-2 in Denmark without ⁠Ronaldo and then beat Norway on Sunday to ​maintain a perfect record in Group A4 and secure a place in the Nations League quarter-finals.

Five-times Ballon D'Or winner Ronaldo is Portugal's record scorer and most-capped player, with ⁠146 goals in 234 international appearances.

Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca also said Ronaldo remained part of the team's plans, describing the episode as a misunderstanding that should be resolved internally.

"He is in the national team on sporting merit, and ​that must be unquestionable," Proenca told RTP. "We have to ⁠pay tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo."

Jesus, who also coached Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, ​expects the forward to be available for the ‌next International window if he wanted to return.

Portugal ​next host Denmark on Nov. 14 before visiting Wales three days later.

(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Christopher Cushing)