'Jorge Jesus betrayed Ronaldo’: Cristiano’s close friend reveals what happened behind closed doors

Cristiano Ronaldo’s abrupt exit from the Portugal national team has sparked a stream of inquiries. Now, Edu Aguirre, a dear friend of the football star, has provided his account of the behind-the-scenes events. According to Aguirre, the issue was not merely that Ronaldo did not feature in a match against Norway. The trouble began during Portugal’s 2-1 victory, when he was kept on the bench despite warming up for nearly 30 minutes.

Aguirre revealed that Ronaldo had accepted not starting the game. However, what irked him was being forced to warm up for such a long time without being brought onto the pitch. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Aguirre stated that Ronaldo later engaged in a private meeting with Portugal’s coach, Jorge Jesus, and the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proenca.

It was in this meeting that things seemed to be ironed out. Aguirre claims Jesus apologized to Ronaldo for his handling of the situation, and crucially, promised to acknowledge his mistake publicly at his next press conference. Ronaldo reportedly left the meeting believing the dispute had been resolved. The turning point came when Jesus faced the media without a public apology.

Instead, the Portugal coach defended his authority, stressing that decisions regarding player selections were exclusively his. He also downplayed reports of a significant altercation between the pair. According to Aguirre, it was this discrepancy between what Ronaldo allegedly heard privately and what Jesus publicly stated that sparked the real outrage.

Aguirre told El Chiringuito that Ronaldo was furious because he felt betrayed. So, in Aguirre’s version of events, Ronaldo's anger was not only about sitting out a game but also about trust and an alleged promise that was not upheld. Following Jesus' press conference, Ronaldo left the Portugal squad. The 41-year-old subsequently confirmed his departure, citing the coach’s press conference and a conversation with Proenca as the reasons for his exit.

He also vowed to inform Portuguese supporters "the truth" about his motives in due course. However, there's a significant caveat. The claims of a private apology and a promise for a public one come from Aguirre. Neither Jesus nor the Portuguese federation has officially confirmed such a promise. For now, Jesus presents his version, Aguirre shares what he believes to be Ronaldo's perspective, and Ronaldo himself has yet to speak on the matter. The football world eagerly awaits Ronaldo’s side of the story.