The Portuguese Football Federation have suspended Cristiano Ronaldo after the striker stormed out of the national team’s camp, following a row with coach Jorge Jesus.
It all started when Jesus asked Ronaldo to warm up during Portugal’s opening Nations League win over Norway (4-2), only to leave him on the bench for the entire game. Ronaldo took it as an insult and walked out of the camp. He issued a lengthy apology in which he even suggested the federation should punish him, but the fallout now appears to be well under way.
According to the British newspaper “Mirror“, the federation’s regulations triggered the ban automatically. The disciplinary council will now set the final length, which could run anywhere between one month and six months.
A ban of more than a month would rule Ronaldo out of Portugal’s next two Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales. The disciplinary council will weigh everything up, including the player’s apology, though ESPN reckon a short-term penalty is the likeliest outcome.
Speaking on Tuesday, Ronaldo said: “I also owe an apology to my national team colleagues for leaving the camp. Despite the clear breaking of trust in the coach’s word, and as those who witnessed those conversations can confirm, I should not have done that.”
He added: “The responsibility falls on me alone. I apologise to the Portuguese people once again, but breaking the promise made to me has, for me, a decisive impact. I felt that from that moment onwards, my staying would only harm the working group, and I did what I have always said I would do if I no longer felt useful: I packed my bags and left.”
Ronaldo continued: “The consequences of this action must be assessed and I must be punished for them by the Portuguese Football Federation. I am aware that there should be no mitigating circumstances for the punishment. I am not just any player; I am the captain of the team, and this constitutes an aggravating circumstance.”
He went on: “I have already apologised, but I know that situations must have consequences. Everyone who works in football as I do knows that regardless of each person’s standing, the rules apply to everyone.”
Jesus, meanwhile, played the whole thing down: “I read the statement and now I am doing my job as I do every day. I am going to the federation to work and think about the team.”
Ronaldo has racked up 234 caps for Portugal since his international debut, scoring a record 146 goals along the way.
Leave a Reply