Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo, it's over!

According to O Jogo, Cristiano has decided not to play for Portugal again after abruptly leaving camp.

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Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo, it's over!

The rift between Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese national team could be permanent after several days of tension with Jorge Jesus.

A major chapter in Portuguese football could be coming to a close. According to O Jogo, Cristiano Ronaldo may have made an “irreversible” decision: to no longer wear the shirt of Portugal. The Portuguese outlet claims that the 1-0 victory over Wales, played on September 24, would therefore be his final appearance for the Seleção. At this stage, however, the player has not yet officially announced his international retirement.

The breaking point came after the 2-1 victory in Norway. Ronaldo, who remained on the bench throughout the match, had notably shown his frustration after warming up without ultimately being brought on. Jorge Jesus subsequently explained why he ultimately did not use his captain.

Ronaldo promised to “tell the truth”

On Wednesday, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner left the squad in Copenhagen after a conversation with Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation. In a message posted on Instagram, he directly confirmed his decision to leave.

“After the coach’s press conference, and after a conversation with the president of the federation, I decided to leave the squad.”

Ronaldo also announced that he would later speak about the substance of the matter: “When the time is right, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led me to leave.” His private jet then left Copenhagen for Madrid, definitively ending his presence during this Nations League window.

Jorge Jesus stood by his authority

Just a few hours before his departure, Jorge Jesus had nevertheless said that the dispute had been resolved. The coach did acknowledge his captain’s anger. “He was not happy with my decision, but I made it as a coach, thinking about the team,” he explained on Portuguese television.

At his press conference, Jesus also delivered a particularly firm message: “No player will ever change my ideas. Neither him nor anyone else in football.” The coach explained that he and Ronaldo had agreed that the forward would not start the following matches, before ultimately sending him out to warm up against Norway without bringing him on.

Jorge Jesus had provided an extensive account of the Ronaldo affair, still believing just a few hours earlier that there was no genuine conflict between the two men.

His sister comes to his defence

The controversy also prompted a reaction from Elma Aveiro. The player’s sister shared a particularly harsh message on Instagram about the environment surrounding the national team. “CR7 deserved more respect. The national team deserved better organisation. Portuguese journalism deserved more competence and less speculation,” the post read.

The message added that Ronaldo “deserved better”, before Elma Aveiro summed up her position in two words: “Everything has been said.”

234 caps and 146 goals for Portugal

If the information from O Jogo is confirmed, Ronaldo would leave the international stage with historic figures. Since making his debut in 2003, the Al-Nassr forward has recorded 234 caps and 146 goals, two world records in men’s football.

He notably won Euro 2016 as well as the 2019 and 2025 Nations League titles. Six World Cups and six European Championships also feature in his career. An exceptional international career that could therefore come to an end in a much more abrupt episode than expected.