Rio Ferdinand defends Ronaldo after ‘inappropriate’ Portugal treatment

Rio Ferdinand has defended Cristiano Ronaldo once more, criticizing Portugal manager Jorge Jesus for how he handled the Al Nassr star during the recent international break. Ferdinand, who previously played alongside Ronaldo at Manchester United, believes Ronaldo was treated in an "inappropriate" manner and that Jesus made a poor decision.

The controversy arose after Jesus opted not to bring Ronaldo onto the pitch for the Nations League match against Norway, despite him having warmed up and been scheduled to play for about 30 minutes. When questioned about Ronaldo's frustration, Jesus maintained that he was the manager and therefore had the final say, adding that Ronaldo would not sway his decisions.

The situation led Ronaldo to leave the Portugal camp. In response to the incident, Ferdinand expressed his disapproval of the manager's treatment of Ronaldo, calling it disrespectful and unwarranted given Ronaldo's illustrious career. Ferdinand stressed that he cannot comprehend Jesus's actions or the manager's inflated sense of himself, comparing himself to legendary managers like Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola.

The Portuguese Football Federation is now attempting to resolve the issue and bring Ronaldo back for the upcoming international match, with the aim of ensuring the player's international career ends as befits his stature in the sport. Ronaldo has yet to comment publicly on the dispute, but he has promised to reveal the truth in due course.