Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a 30-day suspension and fined €255 by the Portuguese Football Federation after leaving the national team’s training camp following a dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus.
The federation announced the disciplinary decision on Monday, October 19, after its disciplinary council upheld the charge against the 41-year-old captain for leaving the squad without permission during the UEFA Nations League international break.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen on September 30, ahead of the team’s Nations League match against Denmark. The dispute followed his exclusion from the starting line-up against Norway on September 27, when he remained an unused substitute in Portugal’s 2-1 victory.
The forward subsequently accused Jesus of breaking promises concerning his playing time. Jesus denied that a formal agreement had been made but left open the possibility of Ronaldo returning to the national team.
The federation’s disciplinary council ruled that Ronaldo had committed an offence under Article 160(1) of its disciplinary regulations. The rules provide for a suspension of between one and six months for leaving the national team, making the 30-day sanction the minimum penalty reported in the case.
In determining the punishment, the council considered Ronaldo’s apology and expression of remorse, along with his disciplinary record and contribution to football. Ronaldo had acknowledged his mistake and said he would accept the consequences of leaving his teammates.
The suspension is not expected to keep him out of Portugal’s next international fixtures. AFP reported that the ban took effect from October 1, the date of the Denmark match, and that Ronaldo had already served 19 days by October 19. Portugal are scheduled to host Denmark on November 14 before travelling to face Wales on November 17.
Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença has also expressed support for Ronaldo’s return once the matter is resolved. The federation’s disciplinary decision, however, does not itself guarantee that the forward will be selected for the upcoming matches.
Ronaldo remains Portugal’s record international goalscorer and appearance-maker. He has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances for the national team and helped Portugal win the 2016 UEFA European Championship.
The suspension marks a disciplinary setback for the Portugal captain, but the timing of the ban means he could be available for selection in November, provided he completes the sanction and is called up by the coach
[…] another international disciplinary case this week, Cristiano Ronaldo was fined €255 and suspended for 30 days by the Portuguese Football Federation after leaving the national team’s training […]