Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly been handed a 30-day suspension and fined €255 by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) following his departure from the national team’s camp amid a disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus.
The FPF Disciplinary Council announced the sanctions on Monday, October 19, after investigating the 41-year-old forward’s departure from Portugal’s squad in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 30.
According to the disciplinary ruling, Ronaldo was found guilty of an intentional disciplinary offence under Article 160(1) of the federation’s regulations.
The incident reportedly followed Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway on September 27, when Ronaldo remained an unused substitute despite warming up during the match.
The forward was said to have been unhappy with Jesus over assurances concerning his playing time, prompting his decision to leave the camp ahead of Portugal’s Nations League fixture against Denmark.
Ronaldo subsequently apologised to supporters and acknowledged his departure, indicating that he was prepared to accept any punishment imposed by the federation.
However, the disciplinary decision did not clarify which matches or activities would be affected by the suspension or whether any provisional suspension period would count towards the final sanction.
Portugal are scheduled to face Denmark on November 14, with Ronaldo’s availability dependent on how the suspension is applied and the national team’s selection decisions.
Despite the controversy, FPF president Pedro Proença has publicly expressed his support for the Portugal captain, describing him as one of the most important figures in the country’s football history.
“Our captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, is one of our key pieces,” Proença said, reaffirming the forward’s importance to Portuguese football.
Leave a comment