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Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly did not inform head coach Jorge Jesus that he intends to retire from the Portugal national team

Gabriel Dumitrache

5 November 2026, 14:43

Sport

Cristiano Ronaldo și Jorge Jesus / Foto: HMB Media / Sipa USA / Profimedia

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Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to retire from the Portugal national team and reportedly conveyed his decision to Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, according to the daily A Bola. However, the forward reportedly did not inform head coach Jorge Jesus, with whom he is in conflict.

The decision could change plans for the next international break. Jorge Jesus intended to call up 41-year-old Ronaldo for the two matches Portugal is scheduled to play in the Nations League next week. However, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner reportedly chose not to answer the call-up.

Pedro Proença reacted with a public message addressed to the footballer. The federation president emphasized that Ronaldo will represent much more than just a player for Portugal and spoke about his influence on the country's image.

Proença described Ronaldo as an example and a source of inspiration for those trying to surpass themselves. Over the course of his career, the forward has become one of the main figures through whom Portugal is recognized around the world. The retirement has not been officially confirmed by the federation or the player.

Context: Ronaldo’s conflict with Jorge Jesus and the sanction following his departure from the training camp

Before the decision to withdraw, the Portuguese Football Federation provisionally suspended Cristiano Ronaldo after the striker left the national team’s training camp before the Nations League match against Denmark. The Disciplinary Committee opened proceedings as a matter of urgency, the case was analyzed, and Ronaldo was also fined, with the suspension taking retroactive effect from September 30.

Ronaldo later explained the episode and linked his departure to tensions with coach Jorge Jesus: he claimed that promises regarding playing time had not been honored after the match against Norway (in which he allegedly received information that he would play approximately 30 minutes), and stated that there had been contradictions between the coach’s private discussions and public statements. Even after the conflict, he conveyed that he would return to the national team after serving any potential sanction.