'Did not have time for it...': Portugal coach Jorge on reading Ronaldo's statement after departure

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has said he had not yet read Cristiano Ronaldo’s lengthy statement explaining his controversial departure from the national team camp, hours after the captain accused the coach of twice breaking his word to him.

Jesus was approached by journalists outside his home on Tuesday evening and asked for his reaction to Ronaldo’s account of the dispute. The coach said he had been watching Portugal’s Under-21 team and had not had the opportunity to go through the statement.

“I was at the Portugal Under-21s match. I did not have time for it,” Jesus said, before adding that he now had time to read Ronaldo’s statement.

Ronaldo breaks silence

Ronaldo, 41, had earlier issued a detailed statement setting out his version of the events that culminated in him leaving Portugal’s camp in Copenhagen before the Nations League match against Denmark.

The Portugal captain said an arrangement had initially been reached with Jesus under which he would sit out the matches against Norway and Denmark as part of a plan to manage his fitness and recovery.

According to Ronaldo, that understanding changed on the day of the Norway match when Jesus asked whether he wanted to play. Ronaldo said he agreed, despite the match falling outside his original recovery plan, and was told he would feature for around 30 minutes.

Ronaldo was instead left on the bench throughout the match despite warming up from half-time. He described the episode as the first occasion on which Jesus had broken his word to him.

Apology to supporters

Ronaldo also addressed criticism over his conduct following the Norway match. He acknowledged that he had failed to salute Portugal supporters after the final whistle and said his reaction had been wrong.

The forward apologised to the Portuguese supporters who had travelled to watch the team and accepted responsibility for allowing his frustration to affect his behaviour.

The dispute, however, did not end with the Norway match. Ronaldo said discussions subsequently took place with Jesus over how the episode would be publicly explained.

Eight-point agreement claimed

According to Ronaldo, a video meeting involving him, Jesus, his adviser Tiago Craveiro and Al-Nassr sporting director Simão Coutinho resulted in an understanding about what the Portugal coach would say publicly.

Ronaldo said an eight-point document was prepared following the discussion. Among other things, it was intended to make clear that he had not demanded playing time, respected the coach’s decisions and had agreed to a plan for managing his physical condition.

The document, according to Ronaldo’s account, was also supposed to acknowledge that asking him to warm up against Norway without eventually bringing him on had been a mistake.

Ronaldo said he approved the document and that it was given to Jesus. The forward stressed that he had not demanded a public apology from the coach.

Jesus has disputed that such an agreement existed, making the existence and interpretation of the alleged understanding a central point of disagreement between the pair.

‘Second time’ trust broken

Ronaldo said Jesus’s subsequent press conference bore little resemblance to what he believed they had privately agreed.

He accused the coach of adopting a markedly different tone in public and said he regarded the episode as the second time Jesus had broken his word.

It was after that press conference that Ronaldo decided to leave Portugal’s training camp. His departure was confirmed after he spoke with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.

At the time, Ronaldo said he would explain his reasons “in due time”. His latest statement was the detailed account he had promised.

Accepts responsibility

Despite directing strong criticism at Jesus, Ronaldo accepted that walking out of the camp was wrong and apologised to his Portugal teammates.

He acknowledged that his position as national team captain made his conduct more serious rather than providing grounds for leniency.

Ronaldo said the Portuguese Football Federation should assess his actions and impose whatever punishment it considered appropriate. He indicated that he would accept disciplinary consequences arising from his decision to leave the squad.

The Portuguese Football Federation had not announced any punishment against Ronaldo at the time of his statement.

No international retirement

Ronaldo also used the statement to address speculation that the dispute could mark the end of his international career.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner made clear that he was not retiring from Portugal duty. He said he intended to remain available after serving any punishment imposed on him, provided he remained physically fit and continued performing for Al-Nassr.

Ronaldo, Portugal’s captain and record goalscorer, therefore left open the possibility of returning to the national team despite the breakdown in his relationship with Jesus.

The dispute now centres on sharply different accounts of the discussions between player and coach. Ronaldo maintains that commitments were made to him on two occasions and subsequently broken, while Jesus has denied having reached the agreement described by the forward.

Jesus’s immediate response to Ronaldo’s lengthy statement was notably brief. Rather than addressing the individual allegations on Tuesday evening, the Portugal coach said he had not yet read it and would do so after returning home.