Lisbon, 7 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has accused head coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his word twice over his omission from recent matches, saying the dispute prompted him to leave the national team camp, while insisting he remains available for future international duty. In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old forward said Jesus had initially agreed that he would miss the matches against Norway and Denmark to manage his fitness, but later told him he would play for 30 minutes against Norway. Ronaldo said he warmed up from halftime but was not brought onto the field, describing the decision as the first breach of the coach’s word. He said a subsequent meeting involving Al Nassr sporting director Simao Coutinho resulted in an agreement for Jesus to clarify the situation publicly, including that Ronaldo had never demanded playing time and had respected the coach’s decisions. However, Ronaldo claimed Jesus’ later public comments did not reflect their private discussion, prompting him to leave the training camp. Jesus subsequently denied reaching any such agreement with the player but left the door open for Ronaldo’s return. Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters and for leaving his teammates, acknowledging that his status as captain made his conduct more serious. He said any punishment should be decided by the Portuguese Football Federation, adding that after serving any suspension, he would remain available for Portugal as long as he was physically fit and performing well for his club.