Ronaldo explains Portugal camp exit and says he remains available

Cristiano Ronaldo has broken his silence over his departure from Portugal’s camp. In a lengthy statement, the forward said he left the squad after being an unused substitute in the 2-1 Nations League win away to Norway on September 27. He also insisted that he remains available for the national team and accused head coach Jorge Jesus of breaking commitments made to him.

The 41-year-old had previously raised doubts about his international future. He said he left after an arrangement with the coach — that he would miss the Norway and Denmark matches to manage his fitness — changed. On the day of the Norway game, Ronaldo said, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes. He described warming up from half-time onwards, but not being brought on. “The manager had broken his word to me,” he said, adding that Jesus’s public comments did not match their private conversation. Ronaldo said he chose to leave the camp rather than wait for further promises to be broken.

The forward, however, framed his departure as separate from a farewell to international football. “If I am physically well, playing for my club and scoring, I will be available, as I have always been, to compete and win for our national team,” he said, also referring to a possible suspension. He added that he would accept any punishment handed down by the Portuguese Football Federation and apologised to his team-mates and the Portuguese people.

Ronaldo also rejected the idea that a farewell match was central to his decision. He promised that there would be one or more such games, but said competition was what mattered to him when he thought of the national team. He said he had never interfered in a coach’s technical or tactical decisions in almost 25 years of his career. He respects decisions, he added, but feels his place is no longer there when a promise to him is broken. He also recalled that, after learning of his father’s death, he had been with the national team and chose to stay through the following day’s match.

After Portugal’s win over Norway, Jesus denied having reached an agreement with the player, while leaving the door open to his return. Ronaldo, who said he would “tell the truth” in due course, has 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal, figures cited in coverage of his statement.