Cristiano Ronaldo has received a 30-day ban and a 255-euro (£215) fine from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after departing Portugal’s training camp last month.
The 41-year-old skipper left the Nations League squad in September after remaining on the bench against Norway and learning that he would not be in the starting line-up against Denmark on 1 October.
In a detailed statement, Ronaldo explained that he walked away because head coach Jorge Jesus had twice failed to honour his promises, describing the situation as a complete loss of trust.
The Al-Nassr attacker’s punishment was backdated to the date of the Denmark fixture. As a result, he has already completed 19 days of the suspension and is not expected to miss any matches for Portugal.
Portugal will meet Denmark once more in the Nations League on 14 November, followed by an away game against Wales three days later.
The FPF’s disciplinary panel said its decision reflected the regret Ronaldo expressed in his statement, alongside his achievements in football and distinguished sporting career.
The committee also revealed that the forward provided a résumé listing his honours and career accomplishments as part of his case.
Ronaldo directed the panel to his previous statement, in which he took responsibility, apologised to his teammates and supporters, and acknowledged that his behaviour warranted punishment.
Jesus rejected the suggestion that he had reached an agreement with Ronaldo, although he indicated that the player could still return to the national side.
FPF president Pedro Proenca told Portuguese publication Record that there is considerable enthusiasm for Ronaldo to rejoin the national team after the issue has been settled.
The five-time Ballon d’Or recipient has registered 146 goals across 234 appearances for Portugal, with both figures standing as men’s international records. He also played a major role in the country’s Euro 2016 triumph and two Nations League victories.
Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr in December 2022 on a reported yearly salary of £177 million before agreeing to an extension last year.
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