Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word, stating that a failed agreement to publicly explain his omission against Norway led to his departure from the national team camp. The 41-year-old forward has, however, insisted he remains available for selection after any punishment.
In a lengthy statement, Ronaldo provided his account of the dispute that prompted his exit from Copenhagen before Portugal's Nations League match against Denmark last week. He claimed Jesus had initially agreed a plan for him to miss the Norway and Denmark matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach reportedly told him he would play for 30 minutes.
Ronaldo stated, "Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on." He added, "The manager had broken his word to me." A subsequent meeting, attended by his club Al-Nassr's sporting director Simão Coutinho, reportedly led to an agreement for Jesus to clarify events at his next press conference.
According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared, stating he had never demanded playing time and had respected Jesus’s decisions. It also noted that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake. Ronaldo said the agreed notes did not require Jesus to apologise, but the coach's public remarks reportedly bore no resemblance to their private discussion. "It was the second time he had broken his word to me," Ronaldo said, explaining his decision to leave the camp.
Jesus denied making any agreement with the player after Portugal's win over Norway on Sunday, but left the door open for Ronaldo's return. Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates, acknowledging that his captaincy made his conduct more serious. He stated, "The consequences of my actions must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation."
Despite the dispute, Ronaldo expressed his continued international ambitions. He said, "If I’m physically fit, playing for my club – scoring goals, I hope – after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, to compete and win for our national team."