Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a 30-day suspension and fined £215 (around $286) over his walkout from Portugal’s national team camp last month. The 41-year-old captain left Portugal’s Nations League camp in September after being an unused substitute against Norway and learning that he would not start against Denmark on October 1.
Following his departure, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner published a lengthy statement on social media explaining the circumstances behind his decision. He accused Portugal coach Jorge Jesus of breaking promises and a “breach of trust”. Jesus, however, denied that any such agreement had been made.
In the same statement, Ronaldo asked the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) to punish him for his behaviour, saying he did not want to receive any special treatment. He also apologised to his team-mates and fans, adding that he deserved to be punished for his actions.
The FPF had provisionally suspended him before handing down its final punishment on Monday. The FPF’s non-professional section found that Ronaldo had intentionally committed an offence under Article 160(1) of the federation’s disciplinary regulations. Disciplinary proceedings were opened on October 9 following reports of the incident two days earlier. The disciplinary committee said it had taken into account “the remorse shown” by Ronaldo in his statement, as well as his “contributions to soccer and recognition for athletic merit”.
FPF president Pedro Proença has said he still believes Ronaldo is “a key player” for Portugal and is confident the captain will resolve his dispute with Jesus and return to the squad. "We are in the home of the greatest asset Portuguese football has ever produced: Cristiano Ronaldo, our captain," he said. "Our captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, is one of our key pieces."
Ronaldo has scored a record 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal. He has also led Portugal to Euro 2016 glory and two UEFA Nations League titles.
At club level, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in December 2022. According to Forbes, Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete, having earned an estimated $300 million over the past year.
(Inputs from Reuters, AP and BBC)
