Cristiano Ronaldo stated his readiness to return to the Portuguese national team, which he abruptly left a week ago, and apologized for his departure. He also blamed coach Jorge Jesus for twice breaking his promises.
Ronaldo announced in a statement: 'I will be available, as I always have been, to compete and win for our national team.'
The situation escalated after Jesus benched the forward during a Nations League match against Norway. Then, before the next game against Denmark, Ronaldo declared he would not start and left the camp at the age of 41.
In his message, Ronaldo admitted his fault to his teammates: 'I must apologize to my national team teammates for leaving the camp.' He added: 'Despite the complete collapse of trust in the head coach's words... I should not have done that. The responsibility lies solely with me.'
The player also apologized to the fans, explaining his decision. 'I ask the Portuguese people for forgiveness once again, but a broken word is of defining importance to me,' said Ronaldo. He continued: 'I felt that from that moment my presence would only harm the group, and I did what I always say if I don't feel useful: I packed my bags and left.'
Ronaldo revealed that the new Portuguese coach, Jesus, initially offered him a plan for the international window that included participation in the first and last home games but did not require trips to the Nations League matches in Norway and Denmark. However, the Al-Nassr superstar rejected this offer, believing it would set a bad example for the captain remaining in Portugal while his teammates traveled.
Before the match against Norway, Ronaldo reported that Jesus unexpectedly asked him about playing 30 minutes. He agreed and warmed up during the break but did not take the field. Ronaldo stated: 'The head coach did not keep his word to me,' noting that he is the player with the most matches and top scorer in Portuguese history.
Former forwards for Real and Manchester United, Ronaldo, reported that after this, he spoke with Jesus and agreed that the coach would apologize at a press conference before the game against Denmark. Nevertheless, Ronaldo noted that Jesus' subsequent press conference was drastically different from what they had agreed upon, demonstrating an 'aggressiveness' he had never seen from the coach before.
'This was the second time he broke his word. I decided to leave the camp without waiting for further broken promises,' wrote Ronaldo. The forward stated that he would accept any 'suspension that is imposed' on him and agreed that he should be punished for his actions. He explained: 'The consequences of my action must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation. I understand that the punishment should have no mitigating circumstances. I am not just a player; I am the team captain, and that is an aggravating factor.'
Portugal won all four Nations League matches and qualified for the quarter-finals with two games in reserve.