I deserve to be punished after leaving Portugal camp over Jesus broken trust — Ronaldo

Abdullateef Fowewe

Cristiano Ronaldo has detailed his version of events that led him to walk out of Portugal’s training camp last week, accusing head coach Jorge Jesus of breaking promises on two occasions while insisting he is not retiring from international football and remains available after any punishment.

In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old Portugal captain and all-time leading scorer began, “This is the truth on what has happened with Jorge Jesus. As I promised, I decided to recount, in the first person and directly, the circumstances surrounding the last training camp of the National Team.”

Ronaldo explained that after the 2026 World Cup he had prepared a farewell letter to the Portuguese people but was persuaded by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) president to continue.

He said he endorsed Jesus’s appointment as coach and later met the manager, who told him his presence was “fundamental” to the project.

According to Ronaldo, Jesus outlined a plan under which he would play the first and last matches of the window for physical management reasons.

When the coach later proposed that Ronaldo skip the away games in Norway and Denmark, the forward refused, saying it would set a poor example as captain. He claimed the coach agreed.

During the Norway match, however, an assistant summoned him at lunchtime.

“To my absolute surprise, the coach asked me if I was fit to play 30 minutes. He replied that I should then be ready because I would play 30 minutes. The rest everyone knows. I warmed up from half-time, watched the minutes go by, and was not called. The coach had broken his word to me.”

Ronaldo said a subsequent meeting produced an agreed set of points for Jesus to clarify publicly at a press conference, but the coach’s remarks “bore no resemblance” to what had been discussed.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me.

“I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises,” Ronaldo wrote.

He apologised for abandoning the camp and for not greeting fans after the Norway game, accepting full responsibility.

“The Portuguese Football Federation must assess the consequences of my actions and punish me for them. I believe the punishment should not be reduced,” he stated, noting that as captain the offence carried greater weight.

Despite the rift, Ronaldo left the door open for a return: if he remains fit and performing for his club Al Nassr, he will be available for Portugal after serving any suspension.

The dispute arose during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League fixtures in late September and early October 2026, the first international window after the World Cup.

Jorge Jesus, who previously coached Ronaldo at Al Nassr, was appointed Portugal manager after the tournament.

Ronaldo left the camp in Copenhagen before the match against Denmark.

Jesus had previously said there was no rift and that the door remained open for the captain’s return.

On Wednesday, Jesus responded briefly to the statement, saying he had read it and was heading to federation headquarters to work on the national team, adding, “I have nothing more to say.”