The final weeks of Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal career: Bombshell statements, fines and Jorge Jesus clash leading to retirement

Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from the Portugal national team on Thursday, marking the end of his 23-year career with the country. The aging superstar, who has scored 146 goals in 234 caps, left a void in the Portuguese attack despite having been past his prime for the national team. The final weeks of Ronaldo's career were marked by a tense relationship with manager Jorge Jesus, culminating in Ronaldo refusing to train before a match against Denmark.

The conflict began when Ronaldo was left as an unused substitute during a Nations League match against Norway on September 27, where he was visibly upset and stormed off the pitch. Ronaldo later refused to train in the days leading up to a match against Denmark, and his subsequent resignation was announced on social media. Despite initial reports of a promise from Jesus to apologize for leaving Ronaldo on the bench, Jesus staunchly defended his decision, asserting that he had a different plan for Ronaldo's role in the team.

Ronaldo later apologized for his decision, stating that the breach of trust had a defining impact on his remaining.