Portugal's national team coach, Jorge Jesus, commented on the decision of legend Cristiano Ronaldo to retire from international football, following a dispute between them during the September training camp.
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In comments to Canal 11, regarding Ronaldo's decision to end his international career, he said: "Cris is a global reference point, a reference point for Portugal and the national team. I must respect his decision, but he will always remain in the hearts of the Portuguese and I will put his picture in the dressing room."
The Portugal coach's comments come at a sensitive time, following Ronaldo's announcement on Thursday that he is retiring from international football, ending a career spanning more than 23 years with his national team, a career marked by numerous achievements and records.
The relationship between Jorge Jesus and Cristiano Ronaldo has been strained in recent weeks, following a disagreement at the Portuguese national team camp in September, stemming from the Al-Nassr captain's dissatisfaction with his treatment and role within the team.
The crisis began after the match against Norway, in which Ronaldo did not participate, after he learned that he would not be in the starting lineup for the next match against Denmark, so he decided to leave the national team camp on September 30, in a move that sparked widespread controversy within Portuguese sports circles.
Ronaldo later revealed details of his objection, speaking of a loss of confidence due to what he considered Jesus's failure to keep his promises to him on two occasions. He also apologized to the fans and his teammates for the way he left the camp, but stressed his commitment to representing his country and his desire to continue competing in his jersey.
For his part, Jesus tried to contain the crisis, after he called up Cristiano Ronaldo to join the camp scheduled to start in the coming days.
Despite attempts to contain the dispute, Ronaldo's announcement of his international retirement brought an end to his career with the national team, after he played 234 international matches during which he scored 146 goals, becoming the record holder for appearances and goals at the national team level.
Ronaldo won the 2016 European Championship with the Portuguese national team, in addition to the European Nations League in 2019 and 2025, leaving a historic legacy that is difficult to replicate in Portuguese football.
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