Jorge Jesus: ‘I don’t owe Ronaldo an apology’
Dubai: Jorge Jesus was involved in a tense exchange with a reporter as the Portugal manager insisted he would not “apologise to anyone” amid his ongoing dispute with Cristiano Ronaldo. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had been selected by Jesus for the current international window but subsequently left the Portugal camp and travelled by private jet. Ronaldo, who previously starred for Manchester…
Dubai: Portugal manager Jorge Jesus found himself in a heated exchange with a journalist after the five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo left the national team camp. The captain, who had previously starred at Manchester United and Real Madrid, chose to travel by private jet instead of reporting for duty. Jesus, who had planned to bring Ronaldo on as a substitute for Portugal’s match against Norway, opted to field Francisco Trincao instead, resulting in Ronaldo’s bench time for the first time in 18 years.
When asked if he had apologized to Ronaldo, Jesus bluntly stated, "I don’t apologise to anyone!" He suggested the striker’s departure was his decision, and that he would reconsider Ronaldo’s return if he agreed to play for Al-Nassr. Jesus defended his handling of the situation, claiming that issues with Ronaldo’s warm-up and playing time should not be viewed solely through the lens of their friendship, and that many other players had also warmed up and not come on.
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