Cristiano Ronaldo decided to retire from international football after the public apology he demanded from head coach Jorge Jesus was not forthcoming, according to Portuguese football expert Pedro Sepúlveda.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Sepúlveda said Jesus and Portuguese federation president Pedro Proença spent the days before Ronaldo’s announcement trying to persuade the 41-year-old to reconsider.
Ronaldo confirmed the decision in a video last Thursday, returning the No. 7 shirt after 234 caps and a men’s record 146 international goals.
The rift had been building since the September-October international window.
“To be frank, Ronaldo wanted a public apology from Jorge Jesus, while Jesus confirmed that he would never apologize to any player,” Sepúlveda said.
He added: “Ronaldo wants something, and Jesus has made it clear he will not give it to him. Therefore, Cristiano’s time under Jesus’s management with the Portuguese national team is definitively over.”