Football

Cristiano Ronaldo and new Portugal manager Jorge Jesus were expected to embark on a new relationship together at the national team level, but things have gone belly up in the very first international window.

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The two had already developed a strong working partnership, having collaborated at Al Nassr, where Jesus had been the coach and Ronaldo a star player.

Yet just two games into their national team collaboration, Ronaldo has sensationally quit the national team and declared he will not play for Portugal in the near future, potentially signaling the 41-year-old may even hang up his boots for good.

The Sporting News explains what Jorge Jesus said that angered Cristiano Ronaldo, and why the record goal scorer at the international level has quit national team camp and sworn off Portugal duty in the near future.

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Why was Cristiano Ronaldo angry with Jorge Jesus?

According to reports in Portugal and Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo was angered by Portugal manager Jorge Jesus because he felt he was misled with regards to not only his role within the national team this international break, but also with regards to the press conference ahead of the Denmark game.

A report by Edu Aguirre of El Chiringuito in Spain claimed that Jesus told Ronaldo in a private conversation that he would publicly apologize in his upcoming press conference for making Ronaldo warm up for 30 minutes only to not bring him into the match against Norway, leaving him as an unused substitute.

Jesus not only did not follow through on this alleged promise, but also made further claims that insinuated he was in charge, and Ronaldo was just one of the team. This angered Ronaldo because he feels he holds a special place within the Portugal national team, and felt the promise of an apology was broken.

Jorge Jesus press conference for Portugal after Ronaldo departs

While fielding his first question at the pre-match press conference for Portugal ahead of the Denmark game, Jorge Jesus went on a long diatribe about his authority within the squad and his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Here is the text of his explanation in full, translated from Portuguese into English:

«Before I answer the question, I want to make an interruption. For me, the most important thing — the most important thing — is the objective we came here to Copenhagen to achieve.

That means respecting the opponent. We are going to play against a strong national team, and we have the ambition to continue competing for the Nations League title.

I don’t have just one player. I have 23 players. You can ask me whatever questions you want about any player.”

Regarding Ronaldo, one question is enough. Three questions are too many. I’m going to allow two questions about Ronaldo, and then I won’t answer any more. Because Ronaldo is not the reason I’m here. Denmark is the reason I’m here. I am the national-team coach.»

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He then begins to answer the specific question asked, which was if he and Ronaldo agreed prior to the Norway game how much he would play.

«Yes, it’s true that I spoke with him, but I didn’t speak only with him. We made a plan, just as I did with Bruno Fernandes. I told Cris that I believed he wouldn’t play against Norway or Denmark.

I’ve worked with him for a year. I know his physical condition perfectly. I already knew this from when we were in Saudi Arabia. When we had matches every three days, he rarely played the full 90 minutes, and he normally didn’t train on the first or second day after a match.

So I made an agreement with him. That’s what happened. I don’t go to the bench thinking, ‘At the 60th minute I’m going to take this player off and bring that player on.’ That’s not how I work. The game tells me what I have to do.

I had agreed with him that he wouldn’t play, but I might need him in the final minutes. If the game required it, he would play. But the game developed differently, and I didn’t put him on. That’s the whole story.

I worked with Cris for a year. There is no problem between me and him. Don’t create a problem where there isn’t one.

Any player who warms up for 20 or 30 minutes and then doesn’t enter the game is going to be frustrated. Any player. Never mind Cris, because of his status. Even Pele or Maradona — if they warmed up for 30 minutes and then didn’t play, they wouldn’t be happy.

That’s what status means. But the rules are the same for everyone. I can promise whatever I want. I’m the coach. I told the player he wouldn’t start, but he would be on the bench. If I needed him for 30 minutes, he would play. If I didn’t need him, he wouldn’t play.

I saw the match in my own way, and that’s why he didn’t come on. There is no player in the world who is going to change my ideas as a coach. Not him, not anyone else in football, not even a president. Never.

Then, when asked if there is a rift between he and Ronaldo, he reiterated his authority, and even insinuated that at Al Nassr, he was undermined in his personnel decisions within the team by those with a greater authority.

«This seems like it’s an issue between him and me, but there is no issue.

At a club, the president is in charge. But in the team, I’m in charge of everything that has to do with the players.»

🎥🚨 Full transcription of Jorge Jesus’ statements when asked about Cristiano Ronaldo in today’s press conference ahead of their match against Denmark tomorrow…

🇵🇹🗣 Jorge Jesus:

“Before answering the question, I want to make an interruption. For me, the most important thing,…

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— The Nassr Tribune™️ (@AlNassrTribune) September 30, 2026