Search

Michele Lima said she believed that Messi still had the ability to compete in the Copa America, but she considered the end of his journey with the national team inevitable. She stated that she was happy for him to have ended this stage recognized by the Argentinians and after winning important titles. Lima added that she would not miss the anxiety of seeing him play in a World Cup nor seeing him in the AFA, which she considered a dishonest federation, but she would miss how he made the impossible — like making her a supporter of Argentina — seem possible. #Messi #CopaAmerica #Argentina (translated)

Lionel Messi bids farewell to the Argentine national team after 21 years and 125 goals, with a grand tribute scheduled by the Argentine Football Association at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, where more than 85,000 spectators will celebrate his legacy. #Messi #Despedida #Futebol (translated)

"I will be available as always to compete for Portugal" It took almost a week, but it arrived: after a long silence following the departure from the national team's training camp in Copenhagen, Cristiano Ronaldo shared his version of "the purest of truths" about everything that happened in Scandinavia and led to him leaving the national team's concentration in Denmark. #CristianoRonaldo #SeleçãoNacional #Futebol (translated)

Carlos Padrão, a friend of Jorge Jesus, revealed that Tiago Craveiro threatened the coach's entourage, saying that Jesus must publicly apologize or face consequences, amid rising tensions in the National Team following criticisms from Piers Morgan. #SeleçãoNacional #JorgeJesus #CristianoRonaldo (translated)

It reveals that Pedro Proença suggested to him to think carefully about the next step and announced that Jorge Jesus, Ronaldo's coach at the Saudi club Al-Nassr, would be the one to succeed Roberto Martínez at the helm of the national team. #CristianoRonaldo #SeleçãoNacional #JorgeJesus (translated)

After the World Cup, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proença, is said to have asked Cristiano Ronaldo to reconsider his decision to leave and even asked him for his opinion on which coach could help the national team. #CristianoRonaldo #SeleçãoNacional #Futebol (translated)

Cristiano Ronaldo broke the silence by admitting mistakes and accepting punishments regarding his departure from the national team's training camp, while criticizing coach Jorge Jesus for not honoring agreements, reaffirming his willingness to compete for the Portuguese national team. #CristianoRonaldo #SeleçãoNacional #Futebol (translated)

Cristiano Ronaldo breaks the silence, apologizing for leaving the national team's training camp and revealing unfulfilled promises by Jorge Jesus, while facing possible sanctions from the Portuguese Football Federation. #CristianoRonaldo #SeleçãoPortuguesa #JorgeJesus (translated)

Cristiano Ronaldo stated, in a statement published on October 6, 2026, that he decided to leave the Portuguese national team camp after the coach, according to him, did not uphold an agreement regarding his participation in a match in Norway. He said he agreed to play for 30 minutes, went to warm up at halftime, but never got to enter. He also apologized for not greeting the fans after the match. Ronaldo recounted that, after the 2026 World Cup, he prepared a farewell letter and that the president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) asked him to consider continuing. He said he supported the choice of the current coach, and that the coach proposed he play the first and last game, with rotations, and not travel to Norway and Denmark. Ronaldo stated that he refused to stay in Portugal and that the coach agreed. According to the player, the coach initially maintained the plan agreed upon in a conversation at his house, along with Simão Coutinho, the sports director of Al Nassr. Ronaldo said that he agreed to be substituted in a game in Alvalade without protesting and passed the captain's armband to Bruno Fernandes. Regarding the match in Norway, he said he expected to play again only at the Dragão but accepted the offer to come in for 30 minutes. Ronaldo said that, 48 hours later, he arranged with the coach for him to explain at a press conference that the plan had been his initiative and that he had made a mistake by having him warm up without using him. He added that, at the coach's request, a document was prepared with Simão Coutinho and Tiago Craveiro, validated by him and submitted to the coach. According to Ronaldo, the notes acknowledged that he accepted the plan and was loyal and professional but did not include an apology. The player stated that this was the second time the coach had failed to keep his word and that he decided to leave the camp because he felt trust was broken. He said that, on the morning of the conference, the president of the FPF and the coach assured him that his place on the team was still secure. Ronaldo took full responsibility for leaving the camp, apologized to his teammates and the Portuguese fans, and declared that the FPF should evaluate and punish the act, without mitigation, also considering his role as captain. Ronaldo added that there could be one or more farewell matches, but he associated the national team with competition. He said that after serving any suspension that might be imposed on him, he would be available to play and fight for victories if he was physically well and playing for the club. He also recalled that he stayed in a camp after learning of his father's death, until finishing the next game. #CristianoRonaldo #SeleçãoPortuguesa #Futebol (translated)