Portugal suspend Cristiano Ronaldo after national team walkout [Photo:Courtsey]
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has been provisionally suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after leaving the national team camp following a disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus.
The federation opened disciplinary proceedings against the 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward on Friday, October 9, and confirmed the provisional suspension on Saturday as it investigates his departure from the squad in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The case has been classified as urgent and referred to the federation’s disciplinary investigation committee. A final decision on the punishment is yet to be announced.
The dispute began during Portugal’s Nations League campaign in September, when Ronaldo was an unused substitute in a 2-1 victory over Norway on September 27.
Ronaldo later left the team camp on September 30, ahead of Portugal’s match against Denmark, after learning that he would not start the game.
In a subsequent statement, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner accused Jesus of breaking a promise over his playing time, describing the incident as a breach of trust.
Ronaldo said the coach had indicated that he would feature for 30 minutes against Norway. However, despite warming up during the match, he was not brought on.
The forward apologised to supporters and acknowledged responsibility for his actions, saying he would accept any punishment imposed by the federation.
FPF president Pedro Proença has called for calm as the disciplinary process continues, expressing hope that Ronaldo will return to the national team.
“This is a time for calm and composure. We are all sitting down together at the table. There is a strong desire to have our captain back with us. There will be a normal disciplinary process,” Proença said, according to Portuguese media.
Jesus has also indicated that the door remains open for Ronaldo’s return, although the disciplinary proceedings will determine the consequences of his departure.
Despite the dispute, Ronaldo has given no indication that he intends to retire from international football. He remains Portugal’s all-time leading scorer, with 146 goals in 234 appearances.
The forward is also pursuing the milestone of 1,000 career goals across club and international football, having recently scored his 980th goal for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo helped Portugal win the European Championship in 2016 and has remained a central figure in the national team for more than two decades.
However, his latest dispute with the coaching staff has raised fresh questions about his role in the squad as Portugal prepares for its next international fixtures.