Lisbon : Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a 30-day suspension and fined €255 by the Portuguese Football Federation after leaving the Portugal squad during the most recent international break, as per Goal.com.
The 41-year-old forward faces disciplinary action over his decision to depart the national team camp, with the federation imposing the suspension after initiating formal proceedings against the Portugal captain, as per Goal.com.
In late September, Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly clashed with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus after remaining on the bench during the national team's 2-1 international victory over Norway. Cristiano Ronaldo claimed that Jesus had assured him beforehand that he would play for around 30 minutes.
Although Jesus instructed the Portugal captain to warm up during the match, the forward was never brought on. Cristiano Ronaldo was reportedly frustrated by the decision, believing that the coach had not taken his concerns seriously. He later alleged that Jesus had broken a second promise to publicly explain the situation at a press conference.
Tensions escalated before the Al-Nassr captain decided to leave Portugal’s training camp ahead of the match against Denmark. He subsequently issued a lengthy public apology to his teammates and supporters, acknowledging that his departure from the national team could not go unpunished.
The Al-Nassr forward also called for an appropriate sanction, arguing that his status as a role model made it even more important for his actions to be judged strictly. Despite his criticism of Jesus’ handling of the situation, the Portugal captain said he was prepared to accept the consequences of his decision.
On October 10, the Portuguese Football Federation announced that it had formally opened disciplinary proceedings against the striker, with the forward facing a suspension pending a final decision.
The federation has now imposed a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine. The financial penalty is relatively small compared with the Portuguese forward’s reported earnings.
However, with the suspension backdated to 30 September, the day he left the training camp, Cristiano Ronaldo will be eligible to return on 14 November, when Portugal are scheduled to play their next international match.