Ronaldo's sister blasts Portuguese federation after his dramatic exit from national team

Cristiano Ronaldo turned his back on the Portuguese national team in explosive fashion: benched by Jorge Jesus during the trip to Norway, then publicly rebuked at a press conference ahead of a match against Denmark, the 41-year-old striker returned to Madrid by private jet before the end of the gathering, effectively marking the end of his international career.

The family’s reaction was swift. Elma Aveiro, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s older sister, posted a scathing message on Instagram. “CR7 deserved more respect,” she wrote. “The national team deserved more structure. Portuguese journalism deserved more competence and less speculation.”

Elma Aveiro did not stop there, taking aim directly at Portuguese supporters and observers. Recalling that Portugal had no major international titles before the Ronaldo era — 146 goals in 234 appearances — she concluded bluntly: “The Portuguese do not deserve to have the best in anything. We are envious, contemptuous, ignorant, and we deserve to return to the mediocrity that was ours in football before CR7. Thank you for everything CR7! You deserved better!”

According to her, responsibility for the departure lies entirely with the Portuguese Football Federation and Jorge Jesus, deemed incapable of treating the greatest legend of Lusitanian football with the respect befitting his stature.

Meanwhile, the Seleção must continue its UEFA Nations League campaign without its historic captain. Portugal travels to Copenhagen to face Denmark before hosting Norway’s Erling Haaland. Beyond qualification for the quarter-finals, Jorge Jesus’s squad must now prove it is capable of existing without its guiding figure.