Ronaldo Apologises for Leaving Portugal Camp but Says He Will Continue International Career
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal captain, says he remains committed to international football despite walking out of the national team camp after a dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus. The 41-year-old forward left after being left on the bench against Norway and later learning he would not start against Denmark, but has accepted responsibility for his decision and said he should face the consequences. “The Portuguese Football Federation must assess the consequences of my actions and punish me for them. I believe the punishment should not be reduced,” Ronaldo said in a lengthy statement. He nevertheless accused Jesus of twice breaking his word, first by failing to play him against Norway despite telling him he would, and later by departing from an agreed account of their discussions when speaking to the media. Ronaldo said the second incident represented an “absolute breach of trust”, although he acknowledged that he should not have left the camp and apologised to his teammates and the Portuguese public.
Ronaldo said he had originally agreed with Jesus to miss the Norway and Denmark matches as part of a plan to manage his fitness, before being told on the day of the Norway game that he would play for 30 minutes. He said he warmed up from half-time but was never introduced, after which the two later agreed on how the matter would be explained publicly. According to Ronaldo, the coach’s subsequent comments differed sharply from that understanding, prompting him to leave the camp rather than risk what he described as further broken promises. Despite the dispute, he said his intention is to remain available for Portugal once his suspension ends, provided he is fit and performing for Al-Nassr. “I will be available, as I always have been, to compete and win with our national team,” he said. Ronaldo, who has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal, had previously considered retiring after the World Cup but said he was persuaded by Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença to reconsider.
