Cristiano Ronaldo said he is not retiring from Portugal duty and will be available again, as long as he is fit, after serving any suspension. In an Instagram statement on Tuesday night, he accused coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his word and explained his walkout from the squad camp.
Portugal’s most famous player broke his silence on Tuesday at 23:50 UK time, posting a long statement on Instagram that sought to explain why he left the national team’s camp in Copenhagen last week. Ronaldo, 41, had walked out after being told he would not start against Denmark, and Portugal went on to win that Nations League match 4-2 without him. His first, shorter message had promised the full story later. Tuesday’s post delivered it, and while Ronaldo did not hide his anger, he also did not close the door on his international career.
Portugal’s federation had not commented when the statement appeared, and no disciplinary decision has been announced.
What Ronaldo says happened
The dispute traces back to Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway in Oslo on September 27, when Ronaldo stayed on the bench all night. In his account, he had been promised minutes in that game and was asked to warm up. He warmed up from half-time onwards, he wrote, watched the minutes pass and was never called on. In his words, the coach had broken his word to him.
He said he and Jesus then agreed that the coach would clarify the situation publicly, and that this second promise was not kept either. Ronaldo wrote that he decided to leave training camp without waiting for any further broken promises. He said he only wanted to be alone at the end of the Norway match, and he apologised to the fans who had travelled to support the team, as well as to the Portuguese public. He also took responsibility for not applauding the travelling supporters, calling it a failing that was solely his, and said the consequences of leaving camp should be assessed and punished by the federation.
Jesus denies an agreement
Jesus has a different version. The Portugal coach denied that any agreement had been reached with Ronaldo, including over a public statement, but said the door remained open for the player to return to the national team. Ronaldo, for his part, wrote that he had never at any point interfered in a coach’s technical or tactical decisions during a 25-year career.
The disagreement is significant because Ronaldo has been central to the national team for more than two decades, and the federation’s response will show how far Portugal are willing to go.
Not retiring, but a suspension may come
The most important line for supporters may be the one about his future. Ronaldo said he is not retiring from the national team. If he is physically well, playing for his club and scoring goals, he wrote, he will be available to compete for Portugal once any suspension that may be applied has been served. He also promised fans that Portugal would see one or more farewell matches when the time comes.
That timing is unclear. Whether the Portuguese Football Federation takes disciplinary action, and what form it might take, has not been confirmed. For now, he continues to play for his club, Al Nassr, where he has been scoring goals this season, and the next move belongs to the federation.
What happens next
The federation now has to decide how to respond, and Jesus has to manage his squad without Ronaldo in camp. It is a sharp contrast with July, when Ronaldo scored his first World Cup knockout goal in a win over Croatia. Whether a farewell on better terms is still possible now depends on decisions that have not yet been made.
