Ronaldo breaks silence and reveals behind the scenes crisis with Jorge Jesus

Cristiano Ronaldo broke his silence and released a lengthy statement revealing his complete version of the crisis that erupted between him and coach Jorge Jesus, and the reasons that led him to leave the Portugal national team camp. Ronaldo, 41, had left the Portugal camp in Copenhagen ahead of the match against Denmark after warming up and not playing against Norway, before promising to reveal the truth of what happened later. Ronaldo revealed in a statement published by the Portuguese media that he was close to retiring from international football following the 2026 World Cup and had already prepared a farewell message before the Portuguese Football Federation persuaded him to continue, and he also confirmed that he supported the appointment of Jesus as the successor to Spanish coach Roberto Martinez. Ronaldo accused his coach of breaking his promise twice, but at the same time he apologized to the fans for not greeting them after the Norway match and to his teammates for leaving the camp, confirming his readiness to accept any punishment decided by the Portuguese Federation. Ronaldo also settled his stance on his international future, confirming that he will be available to return to the national team after serving the punishment that may be imposed on him, provided he is physically fit and playing with his club. Below is the full text of Ronaldo statement as published by the Portuguese press on Tuesday: As I promised, I decided to tell myself and directly the circumstances that surrounded the last camp of the Portugal national team. After the 2026 World Cup, I prepared a message to the Portuguese, which I still keep, containing the words I want to address to them when I finally leave our national team. After the end of the tournament, and during the return flight from the United States, the president of the federation asked and insisted that I rethink the decision to leave, because the Portuguese Federation wanted me to continue. Immediately after that, he asked me to express my opinion on the name of the current coach of the national team, who was thinking of appointing him alongside other names he did not reveal to me. I answered the president of the federation that I see him as the right choice. Therefore, when the current coach was officially introduced, I was really happy with this choice. It was the right choice, as the results prove. A few days later, I received the first call from the new coach of the national team, saying that he wants to meet me personally. I agreed and we set the date after the end of my vacation. We met at the City of Football, where my team was holding its preseason training camp. The coach told me that day that he counts on me and that my presence is essential in his project. And he immediately presented me with a plan for my participation. He said that I would play the first and last match, and that he would always make three or four changes in each match for reasons related to managing my physical condition. And he brought up to me then the possibility of not traveling with the national team to Norway and Denmark. He suggested that I play the first match and stay in Portugal, then join the national team again before the Dragao match. I rejected this proposal immediately. It was clear to me that I could not accept it. Not playing matches outside the country does not mean I stop leading our national team. That privilege of staying in Portugal would not have set a good example. In the end, the coach agreed with my point of view. This conversation was witnessed by Simao Coutinho, Al Nassr sports director, who is the person the current coach reported to throughout the past season, and one of the officials responsible for contracting him at the club in 2025. On the eve of the start of the camp, the coach came to my house in Lisbon to have a new conversation with me at his request. The conversation was calm, and all the principles we agreed upon in August remained the same. I played the match played at the Alvalade Stadium against Wales, and despite being substituted, I did not cause any problem. I put the captain armband myself on Bruno Fernandes arm, and I did not imagine for a moment that I might be taking my last steps as a player and captain of the national team. The most important thing for me that day was our victory. Winning is always a good thing, and when it is in Portugal and for my country, it is better. At lunchtime on the day of the Norway match, one of the coach assistants came to the table where the team was having lunch and told me that the coach wants to talk to me. To my great surprise, the coach asked me if I was in a condition to play for 30 minutes. I was focusing entirely on my physical recovery, engaged with my teammates as usual, and I thought I would not play that day, and I had no problem with that. This request was outside the recovery and training plan set for me, because I was only going to participate on the 4th at the Dragao stadium, but of course I said yes. He told me that I must be ready because I will play 30 minutes. And the rest everyone knows. I started warming up since the half-time break, and I watched the minutes pass, and I was not called upon to participate. The coach broke his promise to me. After the end of the match, I just wanted things to end with a victory and to stay alone. I did not go to greet the fans. That was a mistake that I take responsibility for alone, and it should not have happened. I apologize to the Portuguese who supported us strongly there, and I apologize to the fans, and I also apologize to those who are not Portuguese and may have traveled there to see me and were disappointed because of me. After 48 hours, we held a meeting, me, the coach and Simao Coutinho, because he was present in our talks during August. It was a very deep and frank moment, without any kind of courtesy or reservation. We agreed that there is only one way to close this issue: for the coach to repeat in the press room what he just told me in private, in the presence of Simao Coutinho. The agreement was simple: the coach starts the press conference by talking about this subject, trying to end the issue by telling the truth. He was going to say that I never asked to participate for a certain number of minutes, and that the coach alone, and no one else, is the one who suggested to me the plan for this camp, and that putting me in the warm-up and then not playing me was a mistake, and that if he went back in time he would not do that. We ended the meeting with the coach asking me to hug him, and he promised me that he would say in the press conference what he just told me, and that the issue would end. I will not play in Denmark, and I will play the Dragao match. And all of this was always in the presence of Simao Coutinho. And at the request of the coach, a video conference meeting was then held between him and Simao Coutinho and Tiago Craveiro, during which what we discussed was summarized. And a short document was prepared that I approved myself, and it was delivered to the coach with my knowledge, as he requested. As for the press conference, everyone knows what happened in it. His way of handling things had nothing to do with what happened in our meeting. I heard harsh phrases and tone that I think I did not deserve, and an attitude meaning: I want, I can, and I am the commander, a style he did not show me, even from afar, when we talked in private the day before. And the notes I approved were as follows: I think it is important, and because this is the truth, to clarify some things before talking about Denmark: 1- I myself, and no one else, suggested to Cristiano a plan for his participation with the national team this season. It was a very long and good conversation. 2- I know the extent of his attachment and love for the national team, and I know his standing in the world, and most importantly his great positive impact within the national team throughout 24 consecutive years. 3- Cristiano agreed to the plan I suggested to him. 4- He never questioned my choices. He was exemplary, loyal and professional. 5- The Norway match was not within the plan I set for him. But I felt that he was able to recover physically from the first match, and I informed him that I might need to involve him. And Cristiano agreed. 6- I made a mistake when I asked someone in the position of Pele or Maradona to warm up and then did not play him. If I went back in time, I would not do that. 7- And to close the subject: I want Cristiano in the national team. And in fact, I do not want him a little, but I want him a lot. And fortunately, he also believes in me. He believed in me at Al Nassr, and he believes in me here too. 8- Regarding not greeting the fans, we have already talked about that. A player who has played more than 230 matches with the national team does not need lessons from me on loving Portugal. It was a moment of frustration that does not erase anything. He is the player who gives the most autographs, takes pictures with fans, and shows them affection. Let us not invent problems in places where there are no problems. When we are not happy we react. That is all that happened. And of course, none of these notes even included the coach apologizing to me. This was the second time he broke his promise to me. I decided to leave the camp without waiting for another broken promise. For me, the truth is still the most important thing in human relations. No matter how painful it is, I want them to tell me the truth. And in a conversation I had with the president of the Portuguese Federation and the coach on the morning of that press conference, and they can certainly confirm that, I repeated that if they did not want me there, they just had to tell me. It was enough to be honest with me. I would have accepted that, and I promised that we would prepare something beautiful, as I dream it will happen, and no one will be angry. I remember it like it was today. The two answered at the same time: No. Your place is in the national team. I never interfered, at any moment, in any technical or tactical decision of any coach or national team coach during nearly 25 years of my career. I accept, for better or worse, what is asked of me. I respect the decision, but when a promise is broken to me, I feel that my place is not there. I also owe my teammates in the national team an apology for leaving the camp. Despite the complete collapse of my trust in the coach word, which everyone who attended these talks can testify to, I should not have done that. The responsibility rests entirely on me. I apologize to the Portuguese again, but breaking a promise has a decisive impact for me. I felt from that moment that my stay would only harm the work group, so I did what I always said I would do if I felt I was no longer useful: I packed my bags and left. The Portuguese Football Federation must evaluate what I did and punish me for it. I believe there should be no extenuating circumstances for the punishment. I am not an ordinary player, I am the team captain, and this represents an aggravating circumstance. I have already apologized, but I know actions must have consequences. And whoever works in football like me knows that regardless of everyone status, the rules are the same for everyone. In this context, I have heard a lot of talk about farewell matches, and that I should get a farewell worthy of me, and that the federation wants to give me this opportunity. I learned in my life, when I was suffering from hunger and many times had nothing to eat, that no one gives anyone anything. I can promise all my fans, and of course the Portuguese in particular, that we will have one or more farewell matches. There will be time for that. But when I think about the national team, what I really think about is competition. This is what I thought about the day I received the news of my father death. I was in our national team camp then, and I decided to stay there until the end of the next day match. I did that for my country, something I would not have done for any club. Therefore, if I am in good physical shape, playing with my team, and scoring goals as I hope, then after executing the punishment that will be imposed on me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win with our national team. Believe me, this is the truth in all its purity. Cristiano Ronaldo.