Cristiano Ronaldo has remarkably claimed Portugal boss Jorge Jesus agreed to deliver an eight-point apology at a press conference as he justified his reasons for walking out on the national team.
Ronaldo, who abandoned his country after a spat over being an unused substitute, stormed out on his private jet and promised he would tell his side of the story.
The 41-year-old issued an extraordinary 1,996 word statement on Tuesday night, which included notes he expected Jesus to read at a press conference and the revelation he had held summer talks over his role in the national team set-up.
Ronaldo stated that he had held a meeting with Jesus and Simao Coutinho, the sporting director of Al-Nassr, who has worked with both at the Saudi Arabian club.
The forward claims an agreement was reached for Jesus to clarify Ronaldo’s situation at a press conference, explaining that the Portugal boss had initially changed his plans by asking for him to be involved in the fixture only to leave him on the bench despite warming up.
The clarification was included in an eight-point apology, with Ronaldo expecting Jesus to say: ‘The match in Norway was not part of the plan I drew up for him. However, I felt that he had managed to recover physically from the first match and I warned him that I might have to use him. Cristiano agreed.
Cristiano Ronaldo (left) accused Jorge Jesus (right) of breaking promises and outlined exactly why he walked out on Portugal in a statement
‘I made a mistake by putting someone of the stature of Pelé or Maradona on to warm up and then not putting him in the game. If it were today I would not do it.
‘To close the subject: I want Cristiano in the National Team. In fact I do not want him a little, I want him a lot. Fortunately he also believes in me. He believed at Al Nassr and he does here as well.’
Ronaldo also stated that the Portuguese Football Association president had spoken to him in the summer to convince him to reconsider his possible retirement from the national team, declaring they had ‘wanted me to continue’.
The discussions were claimed to have included Ronaldo recommending his former Al-Nassr boss Jesus to take charge of the national team and was ‘genuinely happy with the choice’.
While Ronaldo has apologised for leaving the squad, his walkout and statement have cast doubt on his future with the national team.
Ronaldo has accepted he may be punished and insists he is still available to play if called upon.
The initial rift between Ronaldo and Jesus centres on the Portugal boss telling the forward he would play 30 minutes at the end of their 2-1 Nations League win against Norway – only for him to be left on the bench for the duration.
It was the first time in 18 years that Ronaldo had not played a minute for his country – injuries and suspensions aside.
This ‘broken promise’ is the basis for Ronaldo’s fury, who said at the end of the game he ‘wanted to be alone’ and ‘did not greet the fans’.
His decision to storm down the tunnel instead of clapping the fans is one area of contrition for Ronaldo, who apologised to the travelling supporters for his actions.
Ronaldo then claimed that he, Jesus and Coutinho agreed that the only resolution would be for Jesus to explain what happened in a press conference.
Jesus then went off-piste at the press conference and Ronaldo says he ‘heard expressions and an aggressiveness that I do not believe I deserved.
He added in the statement: ‘There was an attitude of “I want, I can and I command” that he never showed me, not even remotely, in private the day before.’
The striker also reveals that he offered his resignation if that’s what the coach and head of Portuguese FA wanted, only for them to reiterate their desire to have him.
Georgina Rodriguez leapt the the defence of Ronaldo after his controversial walkout
‘I have never interfered with a tactical or technical decision of a coach in 25 years of playing football,’ Ronaldo went on to declare.
He then went on to apologise to his team-mates for leaving camp and accepted he may be punished.
‘I did what I have always said I would do if I did not feel useful: I packed my bags and left,’ he wrote.
‘The consequence of this act of mine must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation. I understand that the punishment should have no mitigating factors. I am not just any player; I am team captain, and that constitutes an aggravating factor.’
Ronaldo rounded off his statement by declaring himself available after any suspension is dished out to him, calling it the ‘purest of truths’.
‘If I am physically well, playing for my club, with goals I hope, after serving the suspension that may be applied to me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,’ he pledged.
Whether it is possible for Jesus and Ronaldo to reconcile remains to be seen but with his 42nd birthday approaching in February, the explosive row could well be the end of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s future in competitive international football.
Jesus remains magnanimous and two days ago insisted Ronaldo returning to the fold is a live possibility.
He explained: ‘It’s up to Cris to decide his own life. In the next call-up, if Cris is playing and wants to be in the national team, why not?
‘Resentment? Nothing, it was a misunderstanding. In my opinion, it’s easy to resolve. When will I resolve it? I don’t know. The game is over, and only afterwards will we know how things will turn out.
‘It’s not up to me. To reach an agreement with two people, both people need to talk and agree. That’s not up to me.
‘Just because it was him, and perhaps rightly so because he’s a symbol, this whole problem of him coming on, warming up, not coming on. How many players warmed up today and didn’t come on? Will there be a problem? No.
‘With Cris it’s different, he’s a symbol. But is it a problem? For me it wasn’t a problem. If Cris wants to and is playing for Al-Nassr, he’ll be in the next squad. We talked before this squad and we can talk before the next one. It’s Cris who will decide.’
Join the discussion
Can Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus put their extraordinary row behind them, or should Portugal now move on without their captain?
Bruno Fernandes (right) has held clear-the-air talks with Ronaldo (left) after the latter stormed out of the Portugal camp
And it seems his Portugal team-mates are optimistic a resolution will be found.
Full-back Nuno Mendes told Sport TV after the game: ‘We’re a united group, and Cristiano, as well as anyone else who isn’t here, will always be welcomed with open arms.’
Joao Cancelo added: ‘As Bruno (Fernandes) already said, Cristiano is our captain, he is the symbol of our national team, he is the best player Portugal has ever had and things will certainly end in the best way.’
Ronaldo’s wife Georgina Rodriguez swiftly leapt to the defence of her husband by posting a fake Sir Alex Ferguson quote, which she deleted.
Georgina Rodriguez, 32, wrote of Portugal manager Jesus: ‘I don’t know how this man can carry the name of Christ,’ and below her sniping comment was a fictitious quote from Ronaldo’s former boss and legendary Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
It read: ‘If Jorge Jesus knew in his heart that he had no intention of using him, then why did he call him up in the first place? To make a point? That’s not authority, that’s insecurity.’
Ferguson has not spoken about the Ronaldo row and the quote and imagery appeared to be AI generated.
The row has overshadowed Portugal’s performances on the pitch, despite Jesus leading the team to four wins from four so far.
It will be fascinating to see whether he is still open to Ronaldo re-joining the group after Tuesday’s astonishing development and attack on his leadership.
