Portugal coach Jorge Jesus revealed he learned about Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement at the exact same time as everyone else. The 41-year-old forward announced his decision in an Instagram video on Thursday, just a day before Jesus was scheduled to announce his squad for upcoming Nations League fixtures.
Squad Selection Plans
Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Jesus stated that Ronaldo gave him no advance warning regarding his choice to step down, and confirmed that he had planned to select the in-form Al-Nassr player for the squad. Jesus explained that he found out when the rest of the world did and had no prior knowledge, noting that Ronaldo was actively playing, scoring goals, and included on his squad list.
Ronaldo had just become available again following a 30-day suspension from international duty, a sanction that did not cause him to miss any actual national team matches. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner previously left the Portugal camp in September after learning he would be benched for a Nations League fixture against Denmark four days later.
At the time, Ronaldo stated that Jesus had broken his promise, though he accepted the punishment for leaving early and maintained that he would not retire from international football then. When journalists questioned him about that past dispute during Friday’s conference, Jesus became visibly annoyed and defended his actions.
Jesus stated that every choice he made was focused entirely on the team, emphasizing that he always protected the best interests of the squad as a manager and remained at peace with his choices.
Historical Record and Tributes
Ronaldo remained an unused substitute against Norway on September 27, making his final international appearance three days prior in a 1-0 victory against Wales in Lisbon. That final outing brought his career international totals to 146 goals across 234 matches for Portugal, both of which stand as men’s world records, following his debut in 2003 and his triumph at Euro 2016.
While Jesus mentioned he had not reached out to Ronaldo since the retirement announcement, Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca promised to properly honour the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star. Proenca stated that no tribute could adequately thank Ronaldo for his contributions to Portuguese football and the nation, adding that the greatest way to celebrate him is by matching his endless ambition, playing to win, and striving to be the world’s best.
