Ronaldo Walks Out on Portugal Squad Over Jorge Jesus Benching Decision
Key Points
- Ronaldo has scored 146 goals and earned 234 caps for Portugal, both world records.
- The 41-year-old walked out after being asked to warm up but not play against Norway, his first unused substitute appearance in 18 years.
- New coach Jorge Jesus said Ronaldo would be welcome to return before Portugal's November match against Denmark.
Football analyst Guillem Balague, who wrote a book about Ronaldo in 2015, addressed the handling of the benching: "He gets asked to warm up for the whole of the second half, practically. There are tacit rules in football: you don't do that to Pele, to Diego Maradona, to Lionel Messi, to Cristiano, right?" Balague said. "That's what he's seen, that you don't do that to those kind of players."
The Portugal Divide and Road to Resolution
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Ronaldo's departure has split Portugal's football community. On social media and among his supporters, posts have praised Ronaldo and criticized Jesus, while other portions of Portuguese media and fan groups have characterized his actions as selfish behavior. Jesus has publicly stated that Ronaldo would be welcome to return if he chooses to do so. Talks between Ronaldo, his representatives, and the Portuguese Football Association are ongoing as they seek a resolution before Portugal's November match against Denmark.
The timing underscores a stark contrast with Lionel Messi's international career conclusion. Messi, 39, decided to retire from international football after the World Cup and is scheduled to play a home friendly with Benin on Tuesday marked as his final game. Messi is receiving a hero's farewell following a successful international career, while Ronaldo's potential exit comes amid public conflict and questions about his future with the national team. This marks only the second time since 2000 that a player of Ronaldo's stature has departed an international squad under contentious circumstances rather than through a planned retirement.
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Portugal faces its next Nations League fixture against Denmark in November, where a decision on Ronaldo's international future is expected to be resolved.
Sources: BBC Sport and other international news outlets.
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