The key facts

  • Jorge Jesús: “Perhaps I rushed things, but it is not about me”
  • Ronaldo announced the end of his national team career on November 5
  • Before that, the footballer left the team’s camp without permission after a conflict with the coach

Jesús: “It would have happened anyway”

Portugal national team head coach Jorge Jesús said he does not consider himself to blame for Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the national team, Record reports. “Perhaps I rushed things, but it is not about me. He himself understood that no matter how many times he was called up, sooner or later it had to happen. It would have happened anyway during my time in charge,” the coach’s words are cited by Gazeta.Ru.

What preceded the departure

On November 5, the 41-year-old Ronaldo announced the end of his career with the Portugal national team. According to the publication, during the international break he had a conflict with Jesús: the footballer did not take the field in the Nations League match against Norway by the coach’s decision, after which he missed the last three training sessions, leaving the team’s camp without permission. After a press conference at which Jesús did not guarantee Ronaldo a place in the starting lineup for the game against Denmark, the footballer headed to the airport and flew off on his private plane.

Context

Earlier, as Gazeta.Ru notes, commentator Dmitry Guberniev compared Ronaldo’s departure from the national team with Lionel Messi’s departure from his national team. The publication does not give details of this comparison.