Cristiano Ronaldo accuses Portugal coach Jorge Jesus of broken promises, but leaves international return open.<\/p>\n
Published On 6 Oct 20266 Oct 2026<\/p>\n
Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal \u200ccoach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word, saying a failed agreement to publicly \u2060explain his omission \u2060against Norway drove him out of the camp, but insisting he remained available after any punishment.<\/p>\n
In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old gave his account of the dispute \u2060that prompted his departure<\/a> from Copenhagen before Portugal\u2019s Nations League match versus Denmark last week.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list<\/p>\n Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark \u2060matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn\u2019t called on,\u201d Ronaldo said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe manager had broken his word to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Portugal\u2019s \u200ccaptain and all-time leading scorer said a subsequent meeting with Jesus, attended by his club side Al Nassr\u2019s sporting director Simao Coutinho, produced an agreement for the coach to clarify events at his next news conference.<\/p>\n According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus\u2019s decisions and that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.<\/p>\n Ronaldo said the agreed notes did \u2060not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach\u2019s \u2060public remarks bore no resemblance to their private discussion.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the second time he had broken his word to me,\u201d Ronaldo said. \u201cI decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement provided Ronaldo\u2019s account\u2060, but on Sunday, after Portugal\u2019s win over Norway<\/a>, Jesus denied he had made any agreement with the player, nevertheless leaving the door open<\/a> \u2060for his return.<\/p>\n The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) did not immediately respond \u2060to a request for comment about Ronaldo\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n