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The Portuguese Football Federation has provisionally suspended Cristiano Ronaldo after he left the national team squad. The federation opened urgent disciplinary proceedings following a dispute with coach Jorge Jesus.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has provisionally suspended Cristiano Ronaldo after opening disciplinary proceedings against the 41-year-old forward. The action follows Ronaldo’s decision to walk out on the national team during the recent international window.
According to a statement released by the FPF on Saturday, "Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, following a decision by the non-professional section on 9 October 2026." The federation classified the case as "urgent" and confirmed that Ronaldo is currently suspended pending a final decision on punishment.
Under federation regulations, as reported by Portuguese media, a player who misses a training session, a match, or a national team activity faces a suspension ranging from one to six months. Goal.com also notes that such violations can carry a significant financial penalty.
The suspension stems from a conflict between Ronaldo and Portugal coach Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo stated that Jesus had agreed to a plan where the forward would miss the matches against Norway and Denmark to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, Ronaldo said the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.
"Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on," Ronaldo said. "The manager had broken his word to me."
Ronaldo subsequently left the squad after learning he would not start in the match against Denmark. In a lengthy post on Instagram, he accused Jesus of an "absolute breach of trust" and asked the coach to acknowledge the mistake of asking him to warm up without sending him on the field. Jesus did not acknowledge any mistake.
FPF president Pedro Proenca indicated that the federation wishes for Ronaldo to return to the national team once the matter is resolved. "The Portuguese Football Federation and its president, in this spirit of tranquility, speaking with all parties, who have already publicly demonstrated their desire to have the captain back with us, there is an expressed wish from everyone," Proenca said, as quoted by A Bola. "This includes the federation, the FPF president, the national team coach, the captain and the players."
Ronaldo apologized to supporters and stated he would serve any "suspension that is imposed" on him. He clarified that he is not retiring from international duty. "I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team," Ronaldo said.
While the disciplinary process continues, Ronaldo has returned to his club team, Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He scored in a 3-0 victory over Diriyah on Friday. Goal.com reported that this goal marked his 980th career goal.
Portugal won all four of their Nations League matches during the international break and qualified for the quarter-finals. Their next scheduled games are against Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17.
The suspension of Portugal’s all-time top goalscorer and record appearance-maker creates uncertainty for the national team ahead of crucial Nations League fixtures. The case highlights the tension between veteran player management and federation regulations, with the outcome potentially affecting Ronaldo’s international career and Portugal’s squad composition for upcoming matches.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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