Ronaldo Says Portugal Coach Broke Promises, Apologises
Published On 07 Oct, 2026
9 News HD: Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken about his recent decision to leave Portugal’s national team camp, saying coach Jorge Jesus broke his promises. Ronaldo also apologised to his teammates and Portuguese fans for walking out of the camp.
Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed that he would miss the matches against Norway and Denmark to manage his fitness. However, before the Norway game, the coach told him he could play for 30 minutes. Ronaldo said he warmed up during the match but was not brought on. He felt the coach had failed to keep his word.
The Portugal captain said he later spoke with Jesus and they agreed on how the situation would be explained publicly. Ronaldo said the coach’s later comments were different from what they had discussed. He called this the second time he felt that Jesus had broken his word.
Ronaldo accepted responsibility for leaving the camp and said he should face any punishment from the Portuguese Football Federation. He also apologised for not greeting supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates.
Despite the dispute, Ronaldo made it clear that he has not ended his international career. He said he will remain available for Portugal if he is fit and performing well for his club, Al Nassr, after serving any punishment.
The situation has now raised fresh questions about Ronaldo’s relationship with Jorge Jesus, but Ronaldo says he still wants to represent Portugal and compete for the national team.
