The images of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the Portugal national team's training camp went around the world. The striker, one of the great figures of the Portuguese squad, was not part of the match against Norway in the Nations League.
This situation generated the Al Nassr attacker's displeasure, especially when it was suggested that there may have been an agreement between the striker and the coach for him to play at least 30 minutes.
"I can promise whatever I want. I am the coach. I told the player he was not going to play. 'I'll put you on the bench. If I need you for 30 minutes, you'll play; if not, you won't,'" explained Jorge Jesús, head coach of the Portuguese national team.
Then, he reinforced his position: "No player will make me change my mind. Not him, not anyone in football. Not any president. Never, absolutely no one."
After these events, Cristiano published a statement on his social media. "Following the National Team coach's press conference, and following up on a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I made the decision to leave the National Team's training camp," he began writing.
"In due time, I will tell the truth to all Portuguese people about the reasons that motivated my departure from the national team, to which I have always dedicated myself. Now is the time to wish good luck to Portugal and all my teammates, without exception," he added.
Now, already out of the training camp, Cristia…
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The images of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the Portugal national team training camp went around the world. The forward, one of the great stars of the Portuguese squad, did not take part in the match against Norway in the Nations League. This situation generated the Al Nassr attacker's displeasure, especially when it was suggested that there may have been an agreement between the player and the coach for him to play at least 30 minutes.
"I can promise whatever I want. I am the coach. I told the player he was not going to play. 'I'll put you on the bench. If I need you for 30 minutes, you'll play; if not, you won't,'" explained Jorge Jesus, head coach of the Portuguese national team. He then reinforced his position: "No player will make me change my mind. Not him, not anyone in football. Not any president. Never, absolutely no one."
After these events, Cristiano published a statement on his social media. "Following the National Team Coach's press conference, and following up on a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I made the decision to leave the National Team training camp," he began writing.
"In due time, I will tell the truth to all Portuguese people about the reasons that motivated my departure from the national team, to which I have always dedicated myself. Now is the time to wish good luck to Portugal and all my teammates, without exception," he added.
Now, already out of the training camp, Cristiano Ronaldo risks a heavy sanction. According to the disciplinary regulations of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), in section 2 of article 160, it stipulates that this type of behavior could lead to an "automatic preventive suspension." The punishment would be at both the financial and sporting level. He could be sidelined for between one and six months, in the worst case. However, everything will depend on the interpretation the Portuguese body makes of the player's departure.
Elma Aveiro's Defense
What is clear is that Cristiano Ronaldo has the full support of his sister, Elma Aveiro. Through her social media, she shared a post stating that "Cristiano deserved more respect. The national team deserved better infrastructure. Portuguese journalism deserves more competence and less speculation." She then adds that "Portuguese people don't deserve to be the best at anything. We are envious, disdainful, ignorant, and we deserve to return to the mediocrity we always were in football before Cristiano," she declared. Finally, she thanks the forward and states that he "deserved more" at the close of his career alongside the Portuguese national team.
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