Punish me! Ronaldo faces suspension after demanding sanction over walkout
Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly facing a suspension from the Portuguese national team, and the 41-year-old appears to have accepted his fate. According to reports, the captain could be banned for between one and six months for walking out of the national team camp last month following his dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus.
Details: Ronaldo left Portugal's camp in Copenhagen on September 30, hours after Jesus publicly contradicted the version of events the pair had agreed in private, having been left on the bench for the entire 2-1 win over Norway three days earlier. In a near-2,000-word statement published this week, Ronaldo apologised to his teammates and the Portuguese people, accepted full responsibility for his walkout and demanded to be punished without any mitigating factors, arguing that being captain is an aggravating factor rather than an excuse. Under Article 160 of the Portuguese Football Federation's disciplinary regulations, an unjustified abandonment of national team duty carries a suspension of between one and six months, plus a fine of between 500 and 1,000 euros for professional players. Ronaldo, who has scored 146 goals in a record 234 appearances for Portugal, has stressed he will be available for selection again once any suspension is served.
The remarkable thing about this saga is that Ronaldo himself has paved the way for the harshest possible reading of the rules. 'The consequence of this act of mine must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation. I understand that the punishment should have no mitigating factors. I am not just any player; I am team captain, and that constitutes an aggravating factor,' he wrote, in what amounts to an extraordinary public demand for his own sanction. The strictest punishment would see him miss the next two international windows and four Portugal matches, with a return possible for the Nations League quarterfinals next March. Portugal have thrived in his absence, winning all four of their Nations League group matches without him to book their place in the March 2027 quarterfinals, while Jesus has said the door remains open if the captain wants to return.
It's worth noting that Ronaldo used the same statement to shut down retirement speculation, promising that one or more farewell matches will be arranged when the time comes, and revealing that he had actually prepared a farewell letter after the 2026 World Cup before federation president Pedro Proença persuaded him to stay.
Reminder: Silent treatment! Portugal squad refuses to back Ronaldo's explosive statement.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
