Instant Foot reported that Cristiano Ronaldo wished to continue playing for Portugal. According to the summary of his statement published by the account, he had considered leaving the national team after the 2026 World Cup and prepared a farewell letter, before the president of the Federation convinced him to stay. Ronaldo is said to have approved Jorge Jesus's appointment as coach and accepted a specific plan for his playing time, without challenging the sporting choices. The disagreement is said to have erupted during a match in Norway: Jesus reportedly asked him to prepare to play for 30 minutes, then ultimately did not bring him in. Ronaldo reportedly acknowledged reacting poorly by not greeting the supporters and apologized to them. After a meeting with the coach and Simão Coutinho, Jesus reportedly privately acknowledged having made a mistake and promised to publicly explain that Ronaldo had not demanded anything and had always behaved exemplary. Ronaldo reportedly believed the coach did not uphold his word during his press conference and indicated that this breach of trust led him to leave the gathering. He reportedly acknowledged that his departure was a mistake, apologized to his teammates, and said he would accept any potential sanction from the Federation. He reportedly added that his status as captain should even be considered an aggravating circumstance. Finally, Ronaldo reportedly specified that he was not requesting special treatment or an immediate farewell match and that he would remain available for Portugal as long as he was fit, performing well with his club, and free from suspension. #CristianoRonaldo #ÉquipePortugaise #Football (translated)
