Portugal’s leniency raises tough questions about discipline, privilege and respect in the national squad
- Lelo Mzaca
4 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a 30-day suspension and a €215 (R4 000) fine by the Portuguese Football Federation after walking out of the national team camp last month.
The 41-year-old left after being an unused substitute against Norway and learning he would not start against Denmark. He accused coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word and committing an “absolute breach of trust”.
The disciplinary committee found the charge fully substantiated under its regulations, yet imposed the minimum available sanction while citing Ronaldo’s remorse, his unmatched contributions to Portuguese football and his athletic merit.
The ban is largely backdated, meaning he will miss little or no competitive action and could be available again for November’s Nations League fixtures.
The punishment is laughable. For a player of Ronaldo’s stature and earnings, a fine of €215 is theatre. Reports have calculated it as seconds of his Al-Nassr wages.
A 30-day suspension that is mostly served does not function as meaningful deterrence. Walking out on an international camp is a serious breach of collective discipline. The federation’s rules allow suspensions of up to six months for such an offence. Choosing the floor of the range, while emphasising Ronaldo’s CV and public apology, sends a clear message that the rules bend for legends.
That is not accountability. It is institutional soft-pedalling dressed up as measured justice.
This is not a new theme in Ronaldo’s career. During Erik ten Hag’s spell at Manchester United, the Dutchman later reflected that Ronaldo “let the team and let me down”. Ten Hag had planned around the forward after flying to Portugal to outline his vision, yet felt the player’s approach ultimately undermined the collective.
That episode, which ended in a mutual contract termination after public criticism, underlined a recurring tension. Even the greatest must work in the team’s framework rather than above it. The Portuguese FA’s mild response risks reinforcing the opposite lesson.
With that said, Ronaldo must be given more respect. He is Portugal’s all-time leading scorer and appearance-maker, the face of the nation’s modern football success and a five-time Ballon d’Or winner whose career has elevated the Portuguese game globally.
His desire to contribute, even at 41, is not arrogance. It is the same relentless professionalism that produced the goals, the trophies and the cultural impact. When a coach’s handling of the squad captain creates a public rupture, the federation and the coaching staff share responsibility for managing the relationship with clarity and honesty. Treating a player of his history as just another squad member without transparent communication invites exactly the kind of fracture that occurred. Respect is not automatic selection. It is open dialogue, realistic role definition and recognition that Ronaldo’s presence carries a unique weight for teammates, fans and the national brand.
Yet respect does not equal entitlement. No player, however decorated, is owed a starting place or guaranteed minutes. Manager Jesus is charged with building a competitive team, not preserving a personal legacy project.
Ronaldo’s decision to leave camp after feeling betrayed crossed a line. International duty is a collective commitment, not a personal contract subject to unilateral exit when expectations are unmet.
His later apology and acceptance of punishment were necessary but they do not erase the disruption. Feeling that one has earned certain treatment is understandable after two decades at the highest level. Acting as though the team exists to accommodate that feeling is not. The next generation of Portuguese talent needs to see that standards apply to everyone, including the greatest of them.
This latest episode with Ronaldo’s high-profile controversial stance leaves Portuguese football in an awkward place. President Pedro Proença has spoken of a strong desire to see Ronaldo return once the matter is resolved. Jesus has left the door open. Ronaldo has signalled availability after serving the ban. Reconciliation is possible and, given his remaining quality and the symbolic value he holds, probably desirable. But it should rest on clearer terms: mutual respect without automatic privilege, as well as discipline that is disciplinary rather than symbolic.
A fine that barely registers and a suspension that barely bites do neither party any favours. Ronaldo deserves better handling than the opacity that triggered his walkout. The Portuguese FA deserves better than the appearance of special treatment. And the national team needs the legend’s experience and the principle that no one is bigger than the squad. Thirty days and £215 achieve none of those things.
Lelo Mzaca is an award-winning multitalented journalist, copywriter and presenter of The Big Breakfast Show on Radio 2000. He has an overwhelming passion for sport, lifestyle, music, arts and culture.