Cristiano Ronaldo has finally broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his dramatic departure from Portugal’s national team camp, accusing head coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his word and explaining what led to his decision to leave the squad.
The 41-year-old Portugal captain issued a lengthy statement on Tuesday, October 6, in which he gave his own account of the events that unfolded during the October international break. Ronaldo revealed that he and Jesus had initially agreed on a fitness plan, with the forward expected to miss Portugal’s matches against Norway and Denmark.
However, Ronaldo said that plan changed unexpectedly on the day of the Norway game. He said an assistant approached him during lunch and informed him that Jesus wanted to speak with him.
Ronaldo claims the coach then asked whether he was fit enough to play 30 minutes. He agreed and was told to prepare himself to feature.
However, he eventually remained on the bench despite warming up from half-time.
“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by, and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said. The manager had broken his word to me.”
Ronaldo said the situation was later discussed in a meeting involving Jesus and Simão Coutinho, Al Nassr’s sporting director, who had previously been involved in discussions between the two parties. According to the Portugal captain, they reached an agreement that Jesus would publicly clarify what had happened during his next press conference.
Ronaldo claimed an eight-point document was prepared, stating that he had never demanded playing time, had respected the coach’s decisions, and that asking him to warm up without eventually bringing him onto the pitch had been a mistake. However, Ronaldo said Jesus’ subsequent public comments did not reflect what had been agreed privately.
“It was the second time he had broken his word to me. I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”
Ronaldo also accepted responsibility for his own actions. He apologised for failing to acknowledge the supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates before the Denmark fixture. The Portuguese superstar acknowledged that, as captain, his actions carried additional responsibility and said he would accept whatever punishment the Portuguese Football Federation decides to impose.
Despite the controversy, Ronaldo made it clear that he has not closed the door on Portugal.
“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,” he said.
Jorge Jesus, meanwhile, has previously denied that he made the agreement described by Ronaldo. Following Portugal’s victory over Norway, the coach nevertheless said the door remained open for Ronaldo to return to the national team if he wanted to.
The latest development therefore leaves the dispute between the two men unresolved, but Ronaldo’s statement has provided his first detailed explanation of why he walked away from the Portugal camp.