Ronaldo explains national team departure: "The manager broke his word"
Portugal captain reveals details of talks with Jorge Jesus and insists he remains available for Portugal: "I will be available to compete for our national team"
Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to break his silence regarding his departure from the national team training camp and explain, in the first person, what happened between himself and Jorge Jesus. In a lengthy statement released this Tuesday, the Portugal captain reveals the details of his conversations with the manager and accuses him of having broken his word twice.
Ronaldo begins by recalling that, after the 2026 World Cup, Pedro Proença asked him to continue serving the national team and even consulted him about the new manager. "In my opinion, he would be the right choice," the forward states regarding the selection of Jorge Jesus, assuring that he was "genuinely happy" with the appointment.
In their first meeting, Ronaldo says he received clear assurances from Jesus about his role in the squad.
"He told me he was counting on me, that my presence was fundamental, and presented the plan he had devised for me," he reveals. The plan involved playing in the first and final matches, with his physical workload managed throughout the games. Jesus even suggested that Ronaldo should not travel to Norway and Denmark, staying behind in Portugal, but the captain refused, believing that "it would not set a good example".