Portugal federation president calls Cristiano affair a “misunderstanding”

“It was a misunderstanding”: that was how the president of the Portugal Federation summed up the Cristiano affair as he broke his silence on the controversy. Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, spoke about the tensions between Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus.

The official described the situation as a misunderstanding and said Ronaldo would remain an option for Portugal as long as the coach considered him able to play. He declined, however, to disclose details of the exchanges between the two men. “I’m not going to give those explanations. These are entirely normal conversations between coaches and players. It is a technical area, and the federation president does not get involved in these matters,” Proença said after the victory over Norway.

Proença also defended Ronaldo’s place in Portuguese football. “We are talking about the best player of all time, a player who has given everything to Portuguese football for more than two decades. Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal’s greatest symbol today. We must pay him tribute,” he said.

The official stressed that Ronaldo’s place in the national team was not based solely on his status. “He is in the national team on his own sporting merits, and that is beyond dispute. He will always be part of this working group as long as he is technically fit. Cristiano knows that. On this particular matter, let me say that we are dealing with a misunderstanding that needs to be resolved internally,” he added.

Proença said it had been important first to complete the four matches calmly, with the sporting side taking priority. He said there would be time for everyone to meet and clear up the situation, while reiterating that Ronaldo is part of the national team’s history and will be there whenever the coach needs him.

Jorge Jesus also called Cristiano a symbol, adding that there would be plenty of time to talk after the match. Proença concluded by describing the relationship between the two men as strong and saying he hoped the group could return to the national team in November after calm discussions.