Portugal boss Jorge Jesus stunned by Ronaldo's permanent national team exit
The manager said the 41-year-old striker’s departure was surprising given his recent public exit from the national team.
By Lauren Foster ·
Jorge Jesus, the head coach of the Portugal national team, stated on Friday that he did not anticipate Cristiano Ronaldo would end his international career following their public split. Jesus made the comments while unveiling his roster for the upcoming Nations League matches.
The announcement came one day after the 41-year-old forward declared the end of his era with the national side. In a video posted to social media accounts on Thursday, Ronaldo said the time had come to return the number seven shirt. He noted that he felt this was the correct moment to step away from the national team.
Jesus expressed surprise at the permanent exit. He said he believed Ronaldo would return to the squad and had intended to call him up for the current cycle. The manager emphasized that Ronaldo’s contribution to Portugal and his role as a symbol for younger players must never be overlooked.
The rift between the manager and the striker began in September. After Portugal beat Wales 1-0 at home on September 24, Jesus left Ronaldo on the bench for the next match. Jesus indicated he had no plans to start the veteran forward in the following game. In response, Ronaldo left the team camp. He later apologized, but the Portuguese Football Federation fined him and suspended him from the national team for 30 days.
Jesus said he did not take the public disagreement personally. He explained that all his decisions were made with the team's best interests in mind. He stated that he felt completely at peace with those choices because he always defended what was best for the squad.
Ronaldo continues his club career with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He is currently chasing his 1,000th professional goal and has scored 985. His 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal remain a record in men’s international football. He has played in six World Cups and won the 2016 European Championship.
The Portuguese Football Federation announced on Thursday that it plans to hold a tribute for Ronaldo. Portugal faces Denmark in Braga on November 14 and travels to Cardiff to play Wales three days later. The team has already secured a spot in the Nations League quarterfinals. Jesus took over the national team after Roberto Martinez departed following a disappointing World Cup run where Ronaldo was a key figure.
