Cristiano Ronaldo has given so much to Portugal over the years, helping the country reach some of its proudest moments in football. But now, the star finds himself at the centre of a controversy after leaving the national team camp following a reported disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus over promises about his playing time and how the situation would be explained. And while the football world continues to discuss the fallout, Ronaldo’s mother, Dolores Aveiro, has now spoken about the experience from a very different perspective, sharing how the events affected her as a mother.
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In an exclusive interview with Portuguese magazine TV 7 Dias on October 7, Dolores opened up about the moments after her son left the national team camp. She revealed that she called Ronaldo to check on him and find out how he was coping with the situation. “After my son left the national team camp, I called him. He said to me: ‘Mum, don’t worry. I’ll tell the truth when we are all together,’” she recalled.
Dolores said she encouraged her son to stay calm and get through the difficult period, but ultimately, the decision was his to make. Despite trying to give him all the support she could, she admitted that she could not change his mind. The situation also took an emotional toll on her as she watched her son become embroiled in a public dispute involving the country he has represented for so many years. “I cried a little,” she admitted.
She also expressed disappointment over what she sees as a lack of appreciation for Ronaldo’s contribution to Portuguese football. “He has always been Portugal’s hero. They are not valuing him as they should,” Dolores said, making her feelings clear about how her son has been treated.
Reflecting on the way Ronaldo left the national team camp, she offered another striking remark: “My son could have left through the front door and instead he left through the back door, but it doesn’t matter, God will take care of it.” Dolores’s comments made her feelings about the controversy clear, but she was not the only member of Ronaldo’s family to speak out. His sister, Elma Aveiro, also publicly defended the Portugal captain, sharing a strongly worded message on Instagram.
Introducing the post with a Portuguese caption meaning “everything has been said here,” Elma shared a message calling for greater respect for her brother and criticising the way the situation had been handled. “CR7 deserved more respect. The national team deserved more structure,” the message read. It also took aim at the Portuguese media, saying, “Portuguese journalism deserved more competence and less speculation.”
The post went further, expressing anger at the reaction from the Portuguese public and accusing people of failing to appreciate the country’s most celebrated footballer. “As for the Portuguese people, well… they don’t deserve to have the best at anything,” the message continued. “We are envious, disdainful, ignorant, and we deserve to return to the mediocrity we always had in football before CR7.”
It ended with a direct message to Ronaldo: “Thank you for everything, CR7! You deserved more!” Her words came as attention turned to the events that led Ronaldo to leave Portugal’s national team camp.
Why did Cristiano Ronaldo leave Portugal’s camp?
Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen on September 30, 2026, one day before the team’s Nations League match against Denmark. His departure followed Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway, during which the forward remained on the bench despite warming up during the match.
According to Ronaldo, he and Jesus had initially agreed that he would sit out the games against Norway and Denmark to manage his fitness. However, he said the coach changed the plan on the day of the Norway match, telling him he might play for around 30 minutes. Ronaldo agreed to the change, but was ultimately not brought onto the pitch.
“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said in his statement. “The manager had broken his word to me.” The disagreement did not end with his omission from the match. He claimed that, following a subsequent discussion involving Jesus and other representatives, they agreed on how the coach would explain the situation at his next press conference.
An eight-point document was reportedly prepared to clarify Ronaldo’s position, including that he had not demanded playing time and had accepted the original fitness plan. However, Ronaldo said the coach’s public comments did not reflect their private discussions. He accused Jesus of breaking his word for a second time, saying: “It was the second time he had broken his word to me.”
Ronaldo added: “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.” His decision to leave, however, was followed by conflicting accounts of what had actually been agreed. Jesus denied that he and Ronaldo had reached the agreement described by the forward, leaving the two men at odds over the events that led to the departure.