Ronaldo accuses Portugal coach Jesus of breaking his word twice in walkout statement

Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his word on two separate occasions, releasing a detailed personal statement to explain why he walked out of the national squad ahead of their UEFA Nations League fixture against Denmark last week.

The 41-year-old said Jesus had agreed to a plan allowing him to skip both the Norway and Denmark matches to manage his fitness. On the day of the Norway game, however, the coach reversed course and asked Ronaldo to play 30 minutes. Ronaldo warmed up from half-time but was never called upon.

“The manager had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said in the statement.

Following the Norway match, Ronaldo said a meeting took place between himself, Jesus, and Al Nassr sporting director Simao Coutinho. He claimed the three parties agreed on an eight-point document in which Jesus would clarify at his next press conference that Ronaldo had never demanded playing time, had respected the coach’s decisions, and that the decision to have him warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake. Ronaldo stressed the document did not require an apology.

When Jesus subsequently spoke to the media, Ronaldo said the coach’s public remarks bore no resemblance to what had been privately agreed — constituting, in his view, a second broken promise.

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

Jesus, speaking after Portugal’s win over Norway on Sunday, denied that any such agreement had been made but indicated the door remained open for Ronaldo’s return. The Portuguese Football Federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ronaldo accepted responsibility for his conduct, apologising for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his team-mates. He acknowledged that his status as captain made his behaviour more serious and said any sanction should be determined by the federation.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he said.

Despite the acrimony, Ronaldo insisted his international career was not over and that he was not seeking merely a farewell appearance. “If I’m physically fit, playing for my club, scoring goals, I hope after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, to compete and win for our national team,” he added.