Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he will play for Portugal again and apologised for leaving the squad camp, while accusing coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word.
“I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,” Ronaldo said in a statement on Tuesday.
The 41-year-old walked out after Jesus left him on the bench for a Nations League match against Norway. Before the next game, against Denmark, Jesus told him he would not start.
Ronaldo apologised to his team-mates for leaving, however, he blamed a loss of faith in his coach.
“I owe an apology to my national team-mates for having left the camp,” he wrote.
“Despite the absolute breakdown of trust in the head coach’s word… I shouldn’t have done it. The responsibility is mine alone.”
He also apologised to supporters and explained why he left.
“I apologise to the Portuguese people once again, but a broken word has, for me, a defining impact.”
“I felt that, from that moment on, my presence would only harm the group, and I did what I always said I would do if I didn’t feel useful: I picked up my bags and left.”
Ronaldo said Jesus first presented him with a plan for the international window. It included starting the opening and final games at home, but staying in Portugal while the team travelled to Norway and Denmark. The Al-Nassr forward turned that plan down, because he felt it would set a poor example for the captain.
Before the Norway match, Ronaldo said Jesus unexpectedly asked whether he could play 30 minutes. He said yes and began warming up at half-time, but Jesus never sent him on.
“The head coach failed to keep his word to me,” Ronaldo, who holds the records for most appearances and most goals for Portugal, revealed.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward said he then spoke with Jesus, and the two agreed the coach would apologise at his news conference before the Denmark game. Ronaldo pointed out that the news conference turned out completely different from that agreement. He also said Jesus showed an “aggressiveness” he had never seen from him before.
“It was the second time he failed to keep his word. I decided to leave the camp without waiting for any further broken promises,” Ronaldo wrote.
He vowed to serve any “suspension that is imposed” and accepted that he deserves punishment.
“The consequence of this act of mine must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he explained.
“I understand that the punishment should not have mitigating circumstances. I’m not just any player, I’m the team captain, and that is an aggravating factor.”
Portugal won all four of their Nations League matches and reached the quarter-finals with two games to spare.
