Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed the reasons behind his departure from Portugal’s national team camp.
He directed criticism at coach Jorge Jesus, while confirming his readiness to return after serving any penalty decided by the Portuguese federation.
According to the statement reported by the newspaper “A Bola,” Ronaldo, 41, explained that he had considered retiring from international football after the 2026 World Cup.
He had prepared a farewell message, but the federation president convinced him to continue, and had also consulted him about appointing Jesus, a choice Ronaldo supported.
Portugal’s captain noted that the coach had set a plan for managing his appearances, which he agreed to without objecting to his tactical decisions.
However, the crisis began when he was asked to prepare to play 30 minutes against Norway, then was not fielded despite having warmed up.
Ronaldo added that a subsequent meeting ended with an agreement to clarify the circumstances of the incident during the press conference.
But he considered that Jesus’s statements contradicted that agreement, which led to his trust in the coach collapsing and prompted him to leave the camp.
In response, Ronaldo apologized to the fans for not greeting them after the match,
and to his teammates for leaving. He also acknowledged that his responsibility is doubled as captain, and asked the federation to evaluate his conduct without mitigating circumstances.
Regarding his future, he confirmed that a return to Portugal’s national team remains possible, provided he is physically ready and continues playing for his club.
He also stressed that his ambition is to compete and achieve victories, leaving talk of farewell matches for the appropriate time, affirming that keeping promises and honesty form the basis of his relationship with coaches, and that his apology does not exempt him from bearing the consequences of his decision.
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