Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he deserves to be punished for walking out of Portugal’s Nations League camp but insists he has no intention of retiring from international football.
The 41-year-old left the squad last week after being an unused substitute against Norway and subsequently learning that he would not start against Denmark.
In a lengthy statement, Ronaldo accepted responsibility for leaving the camp while also giving his version of the dispute with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus.
“The Portuguese Football Federation must assess the consequences of my actions and punish me for them. I believe the punishment should not be reduced,” Ronaldo said.
“I have already apologised, but I know that actions have consequences.”
Ronaldo says Jesus broke his word
Ronaldo claimed the dispute began after Jesus allegedly changed an agreement over his involvement in Portugal’s matches.
The Al-Nassr forward said he and the coach had initially agreed that he would miss the Norway and Denmark games as part of a plan to manage his fitness.
However, Ronaldo said Jesus later told him he would play for 30 minutes against Norway.
“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.
“The manager had broken his word to me.”
Ronaldo said a subsequent meeting with Jesus resulted in an agreement over how the situation would be explained publicly.
He claimed, however, that the coach’s later press conference did not reflect what had been discussed privately.
“I heard expressions and an aggressiveness I believe I did not deserve,” Ronaldo said, describing it as the second time Jesus had broken his word.
The Portugal captain said he subsequently decided to leave the camp rather than risk what he viewed as another broken promise.
Ronaldo wants to continue with Portugal
Despite his criticism of Jesus, Ronaldo struck a more conciliatory tone when addressing his decision to leave.
He apologised to his teammates and Portugal supporters, while accepting that his actions should have consequences.
“I owe an apology to my national team teammates for having left the camp… I apologise to the Portuguese people once again, but a broken word has, for me, a defining impact,” he said.
Ronaldo also made his international future clear.
Provided he remains fit, continues playing regularly for Al-Nassr and maintains his form, he said he wants to remain available for Portugal after serving any suspension.
“After my suspension period ends, I will be available, as I always have been, to compete and win with our national team,” he added.
Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal, both world records, and helped the country win Euro 2016 and the Nations League twice.
He had previously considered retiring from international football after the 2026 World Cup but said Portugal Football Federation president Pedro Proença persuaded him to reconsider.
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