Ronaldo suspended after leaving Portugal camp

Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation after angrily leaving the national team camp following a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus. The final length of the ban has yet to be determined and could range from one to six months. The federation’s regulations triggered the suspension automatically, according to reports about the procedure.

The incident began during the first match against Norway in the Nations League. Jesus asked Ronaldo to warm up but did not ultimately bring him on. Portugal won the match 4-2. Ronaldo is said to have regarded the decision as an insult before choosing to leave the camp.

The player had issued an official apology in a lengthy statement, while acknowledging that a sanction from the federation could be justified. “I also owe an apology to my national-team teammates for leaving camp. Despite the obvious breakdown of trust in the coach’s word, as those who witnessed those exchanges can confirm, I should not have done that,” he said.

Ronaldo also accepted responsibility for leaving and said his status as captain could aggravate his situation. He said he understood that the consequences had to be assessed and that he should be punished, with no mitigating circumstances. He also stressed that football’s rules apply to everyone, regardless of status.

The disciplinary committee still has to determine the length of the suspension. If it exceeds one month, Ronaldo will miss his national team’s next two Nations League matches, next month, against Denmark and Wales. Jesus, meanwhile, said he was continuing his work and going to the federation to think about the team.