Football star Cristiano Ronaldo has set a condition for returning to Portugal’s national team following disagreements with coach Jorge Jesus.
After a 2-1 victory over Norway, Jesus said: “Everything is open. Cristiano must decide his own future; it does not depend on me. There was a misunderstanding and, in my opinion, it is easy to resolve. I am not sad; it is his decision,” Goal.com reported.
However, according to CNN Portugal journalist Rui Santos, Ronaldo was unhappy with those comments and was deeply disappointed by them.
Citing France’s Foot Mercato, Santos reported that Ronaldo told people close to him that he “will not return to the Portugal national team as long as Jorge Jesus remains in charge of the coaching staff.”
According to the same source, the disagreement stems from Ronaldo’s belief that Jesus’ remarks were not merely a casual comment. The player saw a contradiction in the coach’s position.
Jesus has expressed a desire for Ronaldo to return to the national team and participate in the UEFA Nations League. At the same time, he has insisted that no apology is required from the forward, stressing that the authority to determine the national team squad rests with him.
