CRISTIANO RONALDO has insisted his “absolute focus” is on the World Cup with Portugal amid the ongoing furor over his claim he has been “betrayed” by Manchester United.

The 37-year-old hit the headlines Sunday night after excerpts of a 90-minute interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored were released.

Ronaldo claimed United was trying to force him out of the club and criticized boss Erik ten Hag. However, he has now turned his attention to international matters after joining up with the Portugal squad.

The World Cup gets underway Sunday, although Euro 2016 winner Portugal, which is in Group H, does not begin its campaign until Nov. 24.

In a message posted on social media, along with a photo of him and some of his international teammates, Ronaldo said: “Total and absolute focus on the work of the national team.

“A united group, towards a single objective: to fulfill the dream of all Portuguese people!”

Further clips of Ronaldo’s interview were released Monday in which he explained why he did not go on United’s pre-season tour to Australia in July.

He revealed partner Georgina Rodriguez and baby daughter Bella Esmeralda were hospitalized with a “big problem,” only a matter of months after the death of their new-born son. But he claimed he was not fully believed by the United hierarchy.

“I spoke with the director and the president of Manchester United. And they kind of didn’t believe that something was going wrong, which make me feel bad,” Ronaldo told Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Ronaldo will enter his fifth World Cup with a Portugal squad filled with talented players but the team will be missing some national regulars.

He will team up with Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix, but among those not included in the list of 26 players selected by coach Fernando Santos were Joss Fonte, Goncalo Guedes, Renato Sanches and Joao Moutinho, the player with the second-most appearances with the national team behind Ronaldo.

Also not going to Qatar is Liverpool’s Diogo Jota because of an injury.

“Once again, ready to take Portugal’s name to the top,” Ronaldo said on Instagram.

The 37-year-old Ronaldo has been showing signs of a decline for the first time in his career but will still lead a Portugal squad seeking its first World Cup title.

“Ronaldo played in the last four matches, let’s not talk about what was happening a month ago,” Santos said. “Right now he is playing. Every player that I have selected will come eager to win and to make Portugal a world champion, including Ronaldo,” the coach said.

(SD-Agencies)