Ronaldo rules out Portugal retirement amid ongoing dispute with coach

Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed remorse for his walkout from the Portuguese national team and apologized for his absence during the Nations League matches against Norway and Denmark, while also accusing coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word. Ronaldo stated, "I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team," in a statement.

Following Jesus' decision to not bench him for the Norway match, Ronaldo walked out before the Denmark game. He acknowledged his responsibility in the situation, stating, "I owe an apology to my national team teammates for having left the camp," and to the Portuguese people, adding, "I apologise to the Portuguese people once again, but a broken word has, for me, a defining impact."

Ronaldo further explained that he felt leaving would not harm the team's morale, as he believed his presence would only detract from their performance. He also mentioned that Jesus had initially presented a plan for the international window that included starting in the opening and final games at home, but Ronaldo rejected this proposal, arguing that staying in Portugal while his teammates traveled would set a poor example.

Ahead of the Norway match, Ronaldo was asked by Jesus if he was fit to play, and he agreed to warm up from half-time without being substituted. Ronaldo claimed that Jesus failed to keep his word regarding the apology, and their subsequent press conference did not align with their earlier conversation. Ronaldo emphasized that this second broken promise was the final straw, leading him to leave the team without waiting for any further apologies.

He accepted the consequences of his actions and understood that his captaincy would be considered an aggravating factor in any imposed punishment by the Portuguese Football Federation.