JUST IN: Why I left Portugal camp — Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo has provided an account of his departure from the Portugal national team camp, alleging that coach Jorge Jesus broke his promises on two occasions. In a statement on X, the 41-year-old captain sought to detail the circumstances surrounding his exit from the team. Ronaldo explained that he had prepared a farewell letter to the Portuguese people after the 2026 World Cup.

The federation president, Pedro Proença, encouraged him to continue, and Ronaldo supported Jesus as the new coach. "I told the President of the Federation that, in my opinion, it would be the right choice," he wrote. "That is why, on the day the current head coach was presented, I was genuinely happy with the choice. It was the right option, as the results are confirming."

Ronaldo later met with Jesus, who presented him with a plan for his participation in the team, stating that he would play in the first and last matches and that Jesus would always make three to four changes per match due to physical management concerns. Ronaldo rejected an early suggestion to skip the Norway and Denmark matches, insisting that his presence in Portugal would not be a good example.

During the team's training camp, Ronaldo played against Wales and was substituted, being handed the armband to Bruno Fernandes without complaint.

On the day of the Norway match, however, the plan changed. Ronaldo was asked if he was fit to play 30 minutes, despite his focus on physical recovery and training. Although he agreed, Jesus broke his word when Ronaldo did not play those minutes. After the game, Ronaldo apologized for not greeting the fans, calling it "a failure that is only my responsibility."

A private meeting with Jesus and Al Nassr sporting director Simão Coutinho resulted in an agreement for Jesus to clarify the situation in the next press conference, which did not match the agreement made. Ronaldo claimed that a short list of points was prepared and validated, but the conference did not align with those points. He stated that this was the second time Jesus had broken his word, leading him to leave the camp without waiting for any further breaches.

Ronaldo apologized to his teammates and the Portuguese public, accepting that the federation should punish his absence without mitigating factors. He emphasized that "the rules are equal for everyone." Regarding his future, Ronaldo rejected the idea of participating in purely ceremonial farewell matches, stating that if he is physically well, he hopes to play at his club and score goals to compete and win for the National Team after serving any suspension.