Ronaldo... Angry
Every story has an ending, and not all endings are happy. This may be how the saga of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo with his national team concludes. He played 234 matches for Portugal, scoring 146 goals, and enjoyed a rich and exceptional career that suddenly reached an ambiguous phase after the Al-Nassr star abruptly left the national team’s camp yesterday. The team is currently based in Copenhagen to face Denmark in the UEFA Nations League.
Ronaldo, 41, decided to leave the squad following coach Jorge Jesus’s announcement that he would not start against Denmark on Thursday. Late Wednesday, Ronaldo announced his departure from the national team, after a press conference in which Jesus confirmed that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would not be in the starting lineup for the second consecutive match. Ronaldo wrote on his official Instagram account that, after the national team coach’s press conference and a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, he had decided to leave the national team.
It is clear that Ronaldo has struggled to adapt to a diminished role in Portugal’s lineup after more than two decades as the focal point and sole star. He has yet to fully grasp the coach’s need for a player who carries the team, rather than one who needs the team to carry him. Despite the warm feelings shown toward Ronaldo at the outset of Jesus’s tenure, they were not enough to secure him a starting spot.
Ronaldo remained on the bench throughout Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday in the Nations League, after having worn the captain’s armband in Thursday’s 1-0 home win over Wales. It is common for national team coaches to rotate players in matches that lack the significance of the World Cup or the European Championship. However, Ronaldo seemed to suggest that the reasons behind Jesus’s decision ran deeper. In comments hinting at the possibility of permanently retiring from international football, he said, “I will reveal to the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led me to leave the national team, to which I have always dedicated myself... Now it is time to wish Portugal and all my teammates the best in the future, without exception.”
The Spanish sports daily Marca reported that Jesus and Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença followed Ronaldo to Copenhagen airport in an attempt to persuade him to stay with the national team, before the player boarded his private jet. Jesus insisted on Wednesday that there was no disagreement between him and Ronaldo, although the 72-year-old coach, who took charge in July, acknowledged that his captain was disappointed at being left on the bench against Norway. The match in Oslo was the first since November 2024 that Ronaldo did not play for Portugal without being injured or suspended. Jesus told reporters after that match, noting that he had coached Ronaldo at Al-Nassr for a year before taking over the national team, that “nothing happened at all.” He added on Wednesday: “Any player, and I was a player myself... When you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then don’t play... no one is happy about that.”
The Portuguese coach also said he had informed Ronaldo before the match that he would not start, but indicated the possibility of bringing him on later. Jesus later stated, “As the coach, I decided not to include him. There is no need for all this fuss.”
The Portuguese Football Federation said after Ronaldo’s departure that preparations for the matches against Denmark and Norway continue as planned with the 24 remaining players in the squad. “All members of the delegation remain fully focused on the national team’s upcoming fixtures and on achieving the set objectives.”
Potential penalty: Cristiano Ronaldo could face a suspension of up to six months following his sudden departure from the Portuguese national team camp, under federation regulations that penalize abandoning international duty without justifiable cause. This exposes the star to a ban in addition to a financial fine. The Portuguese Football Federation’s disciplinary regulations state: “Any player – after being officially called up – who abandons training, matches, or any national team activity, or any activity related to the Federation’s or Portugal’s sporting representation, or who is absent without justification, shall be suspended for a period ranging from one month to six months, in addition to a fine ranging from 500 to 1,000 euros if the player is a professional.” However, sources indicated that the federation may overlook this penalty given Ronaldo’s history and career.
Sudden shift: Reports suggest the Portuguese legend was preparing to play his final international match during the current international break, but changed his mind after a conversation with new coach Jorge Jesus, pledging to lead a new generation while aiming to reach his 1,000th career goal with Al-Nassr. Sources expressed surprise at this turnaround, despite Ronaldo welcoming the new coach during his first training session and the relationship between them appearing ideal.
Elma’s anger: Ronaldo’s sister, Elma, shared the following message on Instagram, captioned: “Everything has been said here. (CR7) deserved more respect. The national team deserved more organization. The Portuguese media deserved greater competence and less speculation. As for the Portuguese people... well, they do not deserve to have the best in any field. We are an envious, arrogant, and ignorant people; and we deserve to return to the level of humility we always knew in football before the (CR7) era. Thank you for everything, (CR7)! You deserved the best!”
