Source: News Agencies
Wednesday 7 October 2026 08:32:28
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo revealed on Tuesday his full account of the events leading up to his departure from the Portugal national team camp, confirming that his disagreement with the coach was due to "broken promises," and apologizing for leaving the camp without greeting the fans.
Ronaldo said in a message to the Portuguese people that he decided to narrate what happened "in the first person and directly", explaining that the president of the Portuguese Football Federation asked him, after the 2026 World Cup, to reconsider his decision to retire from the <a href="https://www.skynewsarabia.com/keyword-search?keyword=%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A8&contentId=1896732">national team</a>, before consulting him about the current coach, whom Ronaldo supported for the position.
He added that the new coach contacted him before the start of the season, informing him that he was a key element in his project, and presented him with a participation plan that included playing in the first and last matches of the camp, managing his playing minutes according to the physical preparation program.
Ronaldo explained that he rejected a suggestion not to travel with the national team to Norway and Denmark, affirming that he is the team captain and does not see that staying in Portugal would set a "good example", before the coach agreed with his viewpoint.
He noted that the agreement continued in the match against the national team at the "Alvalade" stadium, before the situation changed on the day of the Norway match, when the coach informed him during lunch that he might participate for 30 minutes, even though that was not part of his recovery program.
Ronaldo stated that he agreed to the request, then warmed up from the second half, but did not participate in the match, considering that the coach "failed to keep his word".
After the match, Ronaldo admitted that he made a mistake by not going to greet the fans, saying he just wanted the match to end and to get away from the atmosphere, and he apologized to the Portuguese fans and everyone who traveled to see him.
He added that a meeting was held 48 hours later that included him, the coach, and the sports director Simao Coutinho, during which it was agreed that the coach would clarify in his press conference what transpired in the closed session, including that the participation plan for Ronaldo was set by the coach himself and that his inclusion in the Norway match was not part of the original plan.
According to Ronaldo, the coach also agreed to acknowledge that he made a mistake when he had him warm up and then did not include him, confirming that he would not repeat the matter.
However, Ronaldo said that the press conference contradicted what was agreed upon, and he heard statements that he described as aggressive and reflecting "arrogance and superiority" that he did not sense in their private conversation.
He confirmed that this was "the second time" the coach broke his promise to him, which is why he decided to leave the camp, stressing that staying would have increased the harm to the group from his perspective.
Ronaldo stated that he confirmed to the federation president and the coach, on the morning of the press conference, that he was ready to accept any decision regarding his unavailability for the national team, adding that he only asked them to be honest with him, but they assured him that "his place is with the national team".
The Portugal captain emphasized that he has never interfered throughout his international career in the technical or tactical decisions of the coaches, affirming that he respects decisions even when he does not like them, but he believes that broken promises change his position.
On the other hand, Ronaldo apologized to his teammates for leaving the camp, considering that his decision was wrong despite what he described as "an absolute violation of trust" in the coach's words, and he acknowledged that the Portuguese federation has the right to evaluate his behavior and punish him, stressing that he does not seek special treatment due to his status as a captain.
Regarding the talk about organizing a farewell match for him, Ronaldo said that the time will come for a farewell match or more, but he emphasized that his main focus when it comes to the national team is "competition".
He confirmed that if he is in good physical condition and participating with his club and scoring goals, he will be available for the national team after serving any suspension that may be imposed on him, stating that he will continue to strive for competition and victory with Portugal.