Cristiano Ronaldo had initially planned to retire from the Portuguese national team after the 2026 World Cup. However, he was convinced by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) president Pedro Proença to reconsider his decision. Ronaldo had prepared a letter to the Portuguese people announcing his departure but agreed to stay after Proença's intervention. His presence was also seen as a commercial asset for the federation.
Ronaldo was involved in the selection process for the new national team coach and approved Jorge Jesus's appointment. Jesus presented Ronaldo with a plan to manage his playing time, but Ronaldo refused to be benched for certain matches. The two eventually found common ground, and Ronaldo played in a match against Wales on September 24. However, he was left on the bench for a match against Norway three days later, despite being warmed up.
Ronaldo claimed Jesus had promised him he would play 30 minutes against Norway, but he was not given the opportunity. A meeting was arranged between Ronaldo, Jesus, and Simão Coutinho, the sports director of Al-Nassr, to resolve the issue. An agreement was reportedly reached, with Jesus to publicly acknowledge his mistake and take responsibility for not playing Ronaldo.
However, Jesus's press conference on September 30 did not go as planned, with Ronaldo claiming Jesus's tone and speech did not match their private agreement. Ronaldo then asked if his presence was no longer wanted, and Jesus and Proença assured him his place was still secure. After the press conference, Ronaldo left the team's training camp in Copenhagen.
On October 6, Ronaldo apologized to Portuguese fans and teammates for his behavior, acknowledging he was wrong not to salute supporters after the Norway match. He also took responsibility for leaving the training camp abruptly. The FPF suspended him for 30 days and fined him 255 euros. Despite the incident, Proença and Jesus left the door open for Ronaldo's return.
The incident took a symbolic turn when Ronaldo's iconic number 7 jersey was reassigned to Rafael Leão for a match against Denmark on October 1. Leão, who previously wore the number 17, inherited the number most associated with Ronaldo's identity. The swift reassignment sparked speculation that Jesus had already moved on from Ronaldo.
On November 5, Ronaldo announced his retirement from international soccer, bringing an end to his 23-year career with 234 appearances and 146 goals. Jesus confirmed he had tried to persuade Ronaldo to stay but accepted his decision. Ronaldo won the 2021 European Championship and two Nations League titles with Portugal.
Key points
- Cristiano Ronaldo forced his way out of the Portuguese national team due to conflict with coach Jorge Jesus over playing time and team management.
- Ronaldo had initially planned to retire after the 2026 World Cup but was convinced to stay by the Portuguese Football Federation.
- The incident led to Ronaldo's retirement from international soccer on November 5, ending his 23-year career with Portugal.
