Cristiano Ronaldo has stated that he is not retiring from international football, despite a recent dispute with Portugal's head coach, Jorge Jesus. The 41-year-old captain left his country's Nations League camp last week after being an unused substitute against Norway and then finding out he would not start against Denmark. Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 Portugal appearances, helping them win Euro 2016 and the Nations League twice.
Ronaldo expressed a desire to be punished for his actions, stating that he should be held accountable for walking out on the team. He accused Jesus of an "absolute breach of trust" for not playing him against Norway after initially saying he would, and then going back on a decision to present an agreed version of events to the media. Ronaldo released a lengthy statement, which ran to nearly 2,000 words, detailing his side of the dispute.
According to Ronaldo, Jesus had agreed to a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, Jesus told him he would play for 30 minutes, which did not happen. Ronaldo said this was the second time Jesus had "broken his word" to him, leading him to leave the training camp without waiting for further broken promises.
Despite the dispute, Jesus has stated that the door is still open for Ronaldo to play for Portugal. The coach said there was no rift with the captain, following claims that Ronaldo had refused to train. Jesus' comments contradict Ronaldo's account of the situation, which described an "absolute breakdown of trust" in Jesus' word.
Ronaldo has apologized to his fellow players and Portugal's supporters, taking responsibility for leaving the camp. He said he should not have left and that his actions have consequences. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has been approached for comment but has not yet responded. Ronaldo's statement struck a conciliatory tone in places, but he was also critical of Jesus and his handling of the situation.
Prior to his appointment as head coach, Ronaldo had described Jesus as the "right choice". The dispute has drawn contrasting opinions in Portugal, with some media outlets and fans supporting Jesus, while others are loyal to Ronaldo. The legendary player's search for a record 1,000 career goals continues, and he has returned to training in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.
Portugal won the matches against Norway and Denmark without Ronaldo in the side and are back in action in November in their final Nations League group games against Denmark and Wales. Ronaldo has scored 979 times for Portugal, Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al-Nassr. His international future remains uncertain, but he has expressed a desire to continue playing for Portugal provided he is "physically fit, playing with my team, and hopefully scoring goals".
Key points
- Cristiano Ronaldo wants to be punished for walking out on Portugal but does not plan to retire from international football.
- Ronaldo and coach Jorge Jesus have a dispute over broken promises, leading to Ronaldo's departure from the team.
- The Portuguese Football Federation has been approached for comment but has not yet responded to the situation.
