Portugal Suspend Cristiano Ronaldo After He Walks Out on National Team
Story By Staff Reporter
The Portuguese football federation (FPF) has provisionally suspended Cristiano Ronaldo. It opened disciplinary proceedings against the 41-year-old after he walked out on the national team.
Ronaldo apologised to supporters on Tuesday. He also criticised Portugal coach Jorge Jesus. He said he would serve any “suspension that is imposed” on him.
Federation Confirms Disciplinary Proceedings
Portuguese newspaper A Bola reported that the FPF has confirmed the proceedings. The federation also gave them urgent status.
“Without prejudice to the automatic preventive suspension to which he was subject until the date of initiation, a non-automatic preventive suspension of the player was determined, and the proceedings were given urgent status,” the federation was quoted as saying.
Ronaldo Explains the Dispute
Ronaldo gave his account of the dispute. It led him to leave Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match against Denmark last week.
He said Jesus had agreed a plan with him. Under that plan, the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark matches to manage his fitness. On the day of the Norway game, however, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.
“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said. “The manager had broken his word to me.”
Portugal Win Without Ronaldo
Ronaldo was either an unused substitute or absent in the games. Portugal still won all three. His replacement, Gonçalo Ramos, seized his chance and scored three times.
Ronaldo’s Instagram Message
Ronaldo ended the international break with a long post to his 679 million followers on Instagram. He asked Jesus to admit a mistake. In his view, the coach should not have asked him to warm up on the sidelines and then kept him off the field against Norway. The Portugal coach has not acknowledged any mistake.
Ronaldo wrote that he expects a suspension under federation rules. He promised his fans: “we will have one or more farewell matches.”
