After admitting he deserved to be disciplined, Cristiano Ronaldo got exactly what he asked for when he was suspended by the Portugal national team on Saturday.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) opened disciplinary proceedings against the national team captain after he left the training camp during the recently concluded international break, following a misunderstanding with head coach Jorge Jesus.
In a letter published this week, Ronaldo said Jesus told him he would be used as a substitute in the Nations League match against Norway. Ronaldo warmed up along the touchline but was not brought on.
Ahead of the next match against Denmark, the 41-year-old forward left the camp after notifying the federation of his departure.
"Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, by decision of the Non-Professional Board on October 9, 2026," the FPF said in a statement.
Ronaldo has returned to his club Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia and scored in a 3-0 win over Diriyah on Friday.
In explaining his actions, Ronaldo acknowledged that deciding to leave the camp was not the best way to handle the situation. However, he added that Jesus had "broken promises" on more than one occasion.
"I owe my national team teammates an apology for leaving the camp," Ronaldo said. "Despite a complete breach of trust in the coach's promises, as anyone who witnessed our conversations can confirm, I should not have done it. The responsibility is entirely mine."
After appearing at his sixth World Cup for Portugal this year, Ronaldo said he was ready to accept discipline. According to reports, federation rules allow for suspensions of one to six months for players who "abandon" national team activities.
"The consequences of my actions need to be assessed and punished by the federation," Ronaldo said. "The punishment should not have any mitigating circumstances. I am not an ordinary player; I am the captain, and that is an aggravating factor."
After 234 appearances for the national team and 146 goals, Ronaldo said he still hopes to play for Portugal in the future. Portugal have Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales next month.
