Cristiano Ronaldo hit with 30-day suspension by Portuguese Football Federation

Cristiano Ronaldo has received a 30-day ban from the Portuguese Football Federation following his departure from the national team camp in September. The 41-year-old team captain left the squad in Copenhagen prior to a match against Denmark. His exit came after he remained on the bench during a game against Norway and learned he would also not start against Denmark.

The Dispute

Ronaldo issued a detailed statement accusing national team coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking promises regarding his playing time, citing a complete breakdown in trust. Jesus denied making any agreements with the player. The federation's disciplinary council stated that the forward deliberately breached Article 160(1) of their rules. Authorities provisionally suspended him on 9 October after receiving a report two days prior. On Monday, the council upheld the charge completely and ordered him to pay a fine of 255 euros, or about 189 pounds, according to British reporting, though another source notes 215 pounds.

Fallout and Apology

Following the incident, Ronaldo apologized to his supporters for not acknowledging them after the Norway match and said sorry to his teammates for walking out. He stated that he accepts responsibility, deserves punishment, and will remain available for selection once his ban ends. Official rules remain unclear on exactly which matches or activities the 30-day suspension covers, or if the time he already spent under provisional suspension counts toward the final penalty.

Context

Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca told the media that a strong desire exists within the organization to welcome the veteran forward back to the squad once the situation concludes. Ronaldo holds men's international records with 146 goals in 234 appearances for his country, and has previously helped his nation win Euro 2016 and the Nations League twice.