Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday revealed a lengthy explanation of the fallout with Jorge Jesus and why he abruptly left the Portugal national camp late last month.
In it, he mentioned an eight-point statement that he said the coach had agreed to make publicly, after Ronaldo personally validated it, to settle their dispute.
But on the day of the Nations League Group D game in Oslo on September 28, Jesus asked Ronaldo if he would be okay playing for 30 minutes. Jesus was supposed to say that Ronaldo did not need to be taught about his love for Portugal after more than 230 appearances for the national team. 8. Someone who has played more than 230 matches for the national team does not receive lessons from me on love for Portugal.
Ronaldo revealed that there was initially no plan for him to play against Norway or Denmark, an arrangement that had been agreed upon after a conversation with Jesus. Jesus, however, never went on to say those words. Ronaldo agreed, warmed up, but was never brought on. “To close the subject: I want Cristiano in the National Team. In fact I do not want him a little, I want him a lot,” the statement read. The document also sought to endthe controversy over Ronaldo not greeting the fans after the Norway game. About not greeting the fans. We have already spoken about that. It was a moment of frustration that erases nothing. He is the player who gives the most autographs, takes the most selfies, and shows the most affection to the fans. Let us not invent problems where they do not exist. When we are not happy we react. That was all.
The statement included a stunning admission that Jesus had made a mistake by making a player “of the stature of Pelé or Maradona” warm up and then not putting him on. That, Ronaldo said, was the first time Jesus broke his word. “If I am physically well, playing for my club, with goals I hope, after serving the suspension that may be applied to me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,” Ronaldo said.
