Cristiano Ronaldo says he is not retiring from international football but deserves to be punished for walking out on Portugal after head coach Jorge Jesus twice “broke his word”.
The 41-year-old captain left his country’s Nations League camp after being an unused substitute against Norway and then finding out he would not start against Denmark.
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Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 Portugal appearances – both world records – helping them win Euro 2016 and the Nations League twice.
In a lengthy statement, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United player said he should be held accountable for his actions.
“The Portuguese Football Federation must assess the consequences of my actions and punish me for them. I believe the punishment should not be reduced,” Ronaldo said.
“I have already apologised, but I know that actions have consequences.”
Ronaldo’s statement comes after Portugal head coach Jesus said there was no rift with the captain, following claims the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had refused to train.
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Jesus said on Sunday that the door was still open for Ronaldo to play for the country’s national team.
Ronaldo said that, provided he was “physically fit, playing with my team, and hopefully scoring goals”, he would like to continue to play international football.
“After my suspension period ends, I will be available, as I always have been, to compete and win with our national team,” he added.
BBC Sport has approached the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) for comment.
What does Ronaldo say happened?
Ronaldo’s statement, which ran to nearly 2,000 words, struck a conciliatory tone in places.
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But he was also critical of Portugal coach Jesus as he provided his version of the dispute which prompted him to walk out on the squad last week.
He said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark matches to manage his fitness.
However, on the day of the Norway game, the 72-year-old coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.
“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.
“The manager had broken his word to me.”
A later meeting with Jesus produced an agreement for the coach to clarify matters at his next news conference.
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Ronaldo said an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus’ decisions and that the coach asking “someone of the stature of Pele or Maradona” to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.
Portugal’s record appearance holder said the agreed notes did not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach’s public remarks did not reflect their private discussion.
“The conference was what is known: the attitude had nothing to do with our meeting,” Ronaldo explained.
“I heard expressions and an aggressiveness I believe I did not deserve, a “High and mighty” attitude that he never showed me, not even remotely, in private the day before.”
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Ronaldo said it was the “second time” Jesus had “broken his word to me” and he decided to leave the training camp “without waiting for any further broken promises”.
Prior to his appointment as head coach, Ronaldo said he had described Jesus – who had previously managed him at Al Nassr – as the “right choice”.
Ronaldo had considered retiring from international football after this summer’s World Cup – at which Portugal exited at the last-16 stage – and said he had written a letter to fans containing the words he wanted to tell them when he announced it, but he was urged to reconsider by the FPF’s president, Pedro Proenca, on the flight home from the United States.
Ronaldo’s behaviour drew contrasting opinions in his homeland with Jesus getting some support in the media and among fans at odds with those loyal to legendary player.
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Ronaldo said that, despite the “absolute breakdown of trust” in Jesus’ word, he should not have left and the “responsibility is mine alone”, as he said sorry to his fellow players and Portugal’s supporters.
He added: “I owe an apology to my national team teammates for having left the camp… I apologise to the Portuguese people once again, but a broken word has, for me, a defining impact.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
