Walking out on your national team is never quiet, especially when the man doing it just so happens to be a football icon and a bonafide Portuguese god in Cristiano Ronaldo. It all started with him warming the bench, and somehow it seemed to have ended with a nearly 1800-word statement alongside a feud between him and head coach Jorge Jesus. Yet an apology may not be enough, as he could face a nearly six-month ban.

According to the British newspaper Mirror on October 9, the Portuguese Football Federation’s regulations automatically triggered Ronaldo’s suspension after he left the national team camp. The punishment could range from one to six months, depending on the disciplinary council’s assessment of the case. While the process has reportedly begun, the final length of the suspension remains to be determined.

The disagreement began after Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo on September 27, when Ronaldo remained an unused substitute despite warming up during the match. The decision came after he had played around 67 minutes in Portugal’s previous game against Wales, which ended in a 1-0 win. Jesus later explained that he wanted to manage Ronaldo’s workload and did not believe the forward should start two consecutive matches so close together.

Ronaldo, however, offered a different account of what had been agreed. He said the original plan was for him to miss the matches against Norway and Denmark to manage his fitness. According to the forward, Jesus later told him that he might play around 30 minutes against Norway. Ronaldo said he warmed up from half-time onwards but was never brought onto the pitch, leaving him frustrated by the decision.

The Portugal captain also claimed that he and Jesus discussed the situation after the match and agreed that the coach would clarify the circumstances publicly. Ronaldo referred to an eight-point document that, according to his account, was intended to explain that he had not demanded playing time and had respected the coach’s decisions. He alleged that Jesus’s subsequent comments did not reflect their private conversation, which he regarded as a further breach of trust.

The disagreement escalated on September 30, when Ronaldo left the national team camp in Copenhagen ahead of Portugal’s next fixture against Denmark. The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed his departure, while reports said Jesus and federation president Pedro Proença attempted to persuade him to stay. Ronaldo nevertheless left, turning a disagreement over team selection into a potential disciplinary issue.

After leaving the camp, Ronaldo spoke publicly about the dispute and accused Jesus of breaking his word. He also apologised to his teammates for the way he handled the situation.  Jesus initially played down the dispute, saying Ronaldo was upset after warming up without being brought into the Norway match. Responding to Ronaldo’s apology, the coach said: “I read the statement and now… I am doing my job as I do every day. I am going to the federation to work and think about the team.”

Jesus did not publicly confirm Ronaldo’s account that a promise had been broken. The two men have therefore presented different versions of their private discussions, with the disagreement over playing time at the centre of the controversy.

Away from the international controversy, however, the Portuguese star continues to make headlines for his performances with Al Nassr, moving closer to another major milestone in his career.

Cristiano Ronaldo moves closer to historic milestone

Cristiano Ronaldo is getting closer to the 1,000-goal mark after finding the net in Al Nassr’s 3-0 win over Al Diriyah on Friday, October 9. The Portuguese forward scored his 980th official career goal, leaving him just 20 away from reaching a milestone few players could ever imagine achieving. 

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, reacting quickly after the Al Diriyah goalkeeper saved Kingsley Coman’s shot. The ball fell into Ronaldo’s path inside the penalty area, and he made no mistake with the finish. Al Nassr went on to secure a comfortable victory, with Samú Costa scoring the second goal before Coman added a third. 

Reaching 980 goals is another major achievement in a career that has spanned Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al Nassr and Portugal. Ronaldo has scored at the highest level for nearly two decades, breaking records along the way and building a reputation as one of football’s most prolific forwards.

With 20 goals still to go, the milestone is getting closer, although the timing will depend on his form and how often he plays. For now, Ronaldo can celebrate another goal and another step towards a number that would stand out even in a career filled with extraordinary achievements.