Cristiano Ronaldo has made it clear that his international career with Portugal is not over yet, despite his dramatic exit from the national team camp during the current international window.
The 41-year-old superstar has apologised to Portugal supporters and his teammates for leaving the squad but insisted that he will remain available for selection once he serves whatever punishment is handed to him.
Ronaldo's statement has also provided a detailed explanation of why he decided to walk out of the Portugal camp.
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Will Cristiano Ronaldo Return To Portugal Squad?
Yes, Ronaldo has indicated that he wants to continue playing for Portugal. The Al-Nassr forward confirmed that he is not following Lionel Messi into international retirement just yet and expects to feature for the national team again.
“I can promise all my fans, and naturally especially all Portuguese people, that we will have one or more farewell matches. There will be time for that,” Ronaldo said.
He added that if he remains fit and continues playing regularly for his club, he will be available for Portugal after serving any suspension imposed on him.
“After serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,” Ronaldo said.
Why Did Cristiano Ronaldo Leave Portugal Camp?
Ronaldo's exit came after a disagreement with newly appointed Portugal coach Jorge Jesus over his playing time.
The veteran forward was an unused substitute during Portugal's 2-1 win over Norway in Oslo. He was subsequently informed that he would not start against Denmark in Copenhagen.
Portugal eventually won that match 4-2, but Ronaldo had already left the camp.
According to Ronaldo, the problem was not simply about being left out of the starting XI. Instead, he claimed that a previous agreement over how his playing time would be managed was not respected.
Ronaldo said he had agreed to a plan with Jesus and expected the coach to publicly clarify the situation and accept responsibility for how the veteran striker was being used.
However, he claimed Jesus failed to follow through on what had been discussed, resulting in a serious breakdown of trust.
“It was the second time he was failing to keep his word to me,” Ronaldo stated.
Ronaldo Apologises For Leaving Portugal Camp
While defending his reasons for leaving, Ronaldo admitted that he should not have walked out of the national team camp.
“Despite the absolute breach of trust in the coach's word, as anyone who witnessed these conversations can attest, I should not have done it,” he said.
“The responsibility is entirely mine. I apologize to the Portuguese people once again.”
Ronaldo also acknowledged that his status as Portugal captain means he should accept the consequences of his actions.
“I believe the punishment should be no mitigating factors,” he said, adding that being captain should be considered an “aggravating factor.”
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner said he understands that footballers must follow the same rules regardless of their status.
“Actions must have consequences,” Ronaldo said.
Why Is Ronaldo Not Retiring From Portugal Yet?
Ronaldo also revealed that he had previously considered ending his international career.
After the World Cup, he said he had prepared a farewell letter to Portugal supporters. However, he eventually decided against retirement after being asked by the Portuguese Football Federation to continue.
Ronaldo also revealed that he had supported the appointment of Jorge Jesus as Portugal coach, believing that he was the right man for the job.
“I can promise all my fans, and naturally especially all Portuguese people, that we will have one or more farewell matches. There will be time for that,” Ronaldo said.