Cristiano Ronaldo may be considered the best player in the world, but he doesn’t believe he’s fit enough for both club and international football.

Coach Fernando Santos accepted his captain’s request not to be selected despite the nation’s disappointing World Cup campaign.

AFP or licensors Despite Cristiano Ronaldo scoring four goals in four games, Portugal had a disappointing World Cup[/caption]

Why is Cristiano Ronaldo not playing against Croatia?

It’s not too unusual for superstars like Ronaldo to be given permission to skip unimportant international games during a busy season.

However, with the introduction of the UEFA Nations League, Ronaldo will miss a competitive game against Roberto Mancini’s Italy on Monday, September 10.

Now 33-years-old, it seems the Juventus man is looking to reduce his international game time to preserve what’s left of his club career at the top level.

What did his coach say about the decision?

Fernando Santos said: “After talking to the player, and after he moved to Juventus with all the processes of adaptation that entails, we understand it was best for him to not be present for these games.”

When does Portugal vs Croatia kick off?

The friendly takes place on Thursday, September 6.

The game will kick off at 7.45pm.

It will be held at the Estadio Algarve.

Which TV channel is Portugal vs Croatia on and can I live stream it?

This game will not be broadcast live in the UK, but follow all of the action on SunSport.