Cristiano Ronaldo has been temporarily excluded from the Portugal national team following disagreements with head coach Jorge Jesus. The reason was the unauthorized departure of the 41-year-old athlete from the national team's base of operations. As a result, he may face a suspension of up to six months.
According to Article 160 of the Portuguese Football Federation's disciplinary regulations, unilaterally leaving the national team entails an automatic preliminary suspension. The final decision on the penalty will be made by the disciplinary committee after reviewing all circumstances of the case and hearing the player's explanation. In addition to a ban from matches for a period of one to six months, Ronaldo may also be fined between 510 and 1,020 euros.
The conflict arose after a Nations League match against Norway, where the Portuguese footballer was on the bench. According to Ronaldo, the coach had guaranteed him thirty minutes on the field, but this did not happen. Later, the parties allegedly reached an agreement for a public resolution, but the player believed that Jesus had again broken this promise. The coach himself denied the existence of such agreements.
After the incident, Ronaldo publicly apologized to fans and teammates, admitting his fault and stating his willingness to accept sanctions. Nevertheless, he does not plan to end his international career. The next matches for the Portugal national team are scheduled for November 14 and 17, where the team will play against Denmark and Wales; the possibility of the forward returning for these matches remains uncertain.
It was also noted that the Saudi club Al-Nassr, where Ronaldo plays, became one of the opponents of Tashkent's Pakhtakor in the AFC Champions League Elite. According to the draw results, these teams are set to meet in the capital of Uzbekistan.