Portuguese Federation Suspends Ronaldo for 30 Days

The Portuguese Football Federation imposed a 30-day suspension on star player Cristiano Ronaldo, in a decision described as lenient, following his departure from the national team camp after a dispute with coach Jorge Jesus on September 30, the local football authority announced yesterday. The Portuguese national team captain had left the camp unexpectedly, days before the match against Denmark in the UEFA Nations League, before submitting an apology to the Portuguese public and his teammates, opening the door to his return to the ranks of Europe’s Seleção, after confirming he would resume his international career after serving the suspension. The Al-Nassr Saudi player had faced a potential ban of up to six months, according to Portuguese media reports, before the final penalty was settled at 30 days. The statement, published on the Portuguese Federation’s official website, noted that Ronaldo was also fined €255,000, adding that the charges against him were fully substantiated. Ronaldo’s suspension took effect from the day of the Denmark match, meaning he has already served 19 days of the ban, with the remainder to be completed by the end of the current month. The case dates back to September 30, when the 41-year-old Portuguese star left the national team camp in anger after learning he would not be in the starting lineup for the Denmark match in Copenhagen, part of the UEFA Nations League, scheduled for the following day. Days after his sudden departure, the Portuguese national team captain apologized to the public and his teammates in Europe’s Seleção, while simultaneously confirming the end of his relationship with coach Jorge Jesus. For his part, Portuguese Federation president Pedro Proença recently stated: “We all, without exception, want to be together in November.”