Cristiano Ronaldo has broken his silence over his recent fallout with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, making it clear that he has no intention of retiring from international football.
The 41-year-old captain said he still wants to compete for Portugal after serving his suspension, dismissing suggestions that his next appearance for the national team could be a farewell.
Ronaldo gave his account of the dispute in a statement released Monday, tracing the disagreement to decisions made during Portugal’s latest camp.
He said Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença had previously persuaded him to reconsider leaving the national team after the World Cup and asked for his opinion before Jesus was appointed.
Ronaldo said he backed Jesus as the right man for the job.
He claimed that Jesus later told him in August that he was an important part of his plans and would feature in Portugal’s first and last matches, while suggesting that he sit out some away fixtures to manage his workload.
Ronaldo rejected the proposal.
“A captain doesn’t stay home. Simão Coutinho witnessed it,” he said.
The relationship deteriorated after Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo on September 27.
Ronaldo said Jesus asked him before the game whether he was ready to play 30 minutes. He agreed and began warming up at half-time but was never brought on.
He admitted that he was wrong not to greet supporters after the match and apologised for it, but said the incident was made worse because Jesus had broken his word.
“He had broken his word. Not greeting the fans afterwards was my fault, and I apologise,” Ronaldo said.
Ronaldo said he later met with Jesus, with Simão Coutinho present, and they agreed on how the incident would be explained publicly.
According to him, Jesus was expected to tell reporters that Ronaldo had never asked for playing time and that asking him to warm up without eventually bringing him on had been a mistake.
Ronaldo said Jesus asked him for a hug and promised to give the agreed account.
But he claimed the coach’s subsequent press conference did not reflect what they had agreed.
“I heard an aggression I did not deserve. It was the second time he broke his word,” Ronaldo said.
The Portugal captain stressed that he had never interfered with a coach’s technical decisions during his international career, but said there was a limit when trust was involved.
“When my word is broken, my place is not there,” he said.
Ronaldo also apologised to his teammates for leaving camp and accepted responsibility for his actions, saying the FPF should punish him without mitigating circumstances.
“As captain, that’s an aggravating factor,” he said.
But while the dispute has raised fresh questions about the future of one of Portugal’s greatest players, Ronaldo rejected the idea of leaving the national team through a farewell appearance.
“I learned, when I was hungry, that nobody gives anything to anyone. The national team, for me, means competing,” he said.
He also recalled remaining with Portugal after his father’s death until the team’s next match had been played.
“When my father died, I stayed until the next match was over. I did that for my country,” Ronaldo said.
Ronaldo further denied reports that he had decided not to return while Jesus remained in charge.
“If I’m fit, after my suspension, I’ll be available, as always, to compete and win for Portugal. This is the absolute truth,” he said.
His statement puts the focus back on the relationship between the captain and his coach, rather than on retirement.
The latest dispute was the first time in 18 years that Ronaldo had been an unused substitute for Portugal. He subsequently left the camp in Copenhagen on September 30 after being told he would not start against Denmark.
Portugal went on to win its next two Nations League matches without him and moved to the top of Group A4.
Proença described the situation as a “misunderstanding” and said the parties would meet after the international break to resolve the matter.
Jesus has also left the door open for Ronaldo’s return, saying: “If he wants to, he’ll return.”
Ronaldo has now made his own position equally clear. He does not want a farewell. He wants to return, compete and continue playing for Portugal.
