Cristiano Ronaldo said he left Portugal’s camp after two agreements with coach Jorge Jesus were broken, in his view. He apologised to teammates and supporters, asked the federation to impose a penalty and said he remained ready to play for Portugal after any suspension.
In a statement published on October 6, Cristiano Ronaldo set out why he left Portugal’s training camp. He said coach Jorge Jesus had told him before the Norway match that he would play for about 30 minutes. Ronaldo was instead left on the bench after warming up for roughly half an hour. He acknowledged that he did not greet supporters after the final whistle and apologised for that decision.
Ronaldo said that after the 2026 World Cup, Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença had urged him not to end his international career. Jesus later proposed a limited role for him and suggested he stay in Portugal rather than travel to Norway and Denmark, Ronaldo said. He rejected the idea, arguing that remaining at home while the team played away would set a poor example for his teammates.
The forward said he, Jesus and Al-Nassr sporting director Simo Coutinho later agreed how the coach would explain the dispute at a press conference. Ronaldo expected Jesus to say publicly that the participation plan had been his own, that Ronaldo had not asked to play, and that leaving him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake. Ronaldo said the coach’s press conference did not match that private agreement. He described it as the second time a promise had been broken.
Ronaldo said he had never interfered in coaches’ technical or tactical decisions during nearly 25 years with Portugal. He accepted responsibility for leaving camp and apologised to his teammates and the Portuguese public. He also said the federation should assess his conduct and apply the rules without leniency because he had been the team captain.
At the same time, Ronaldo said he did not want a farewell appearance to replace competition. He wants to play and win, and said he would be available for Portugal after any suspension if he remained fit and continued playing for his club. Jesus had previously said the door remained open and that Ronaldo would decide whether to return.
Ronaldo left the squad before its match against Denmark after the dispute over his unused substitute appearance against Norway. His statement gives his own account of the events; the coach had previously described the episode differently. The Portuguese federation is to determine whether the departure warrants disciplinary action.