New York Times - Cristiano Ronaldo has been fined €255 (£215; $286) and given a 30-day suspension after exiting the Portugal national team camp early.
The Portuguese FA’s disciplinary council announced the sanctions on Monday, finding the charges against the 41-year-old “fully substantiated”.
The official statement read: “The disciplinary council — non-professional section — of the Portuguese Football Federation hereby decides, in the present proceedings, to find the charges fully substantiated and, consequently, to convict the defendant, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, for committing, on a single occasion and with intent, the disciplinary offence provided for and punishable under Article 160(1) of the RDFPF, and to impose upon him, as a result, a 30-day suspension and, additionally, a fine set at €255.00.”
In explanation of the size of the fine, the council cited Ronaldo’s “contributions to soccer and his recognition for athletic merit” as factors that worked in his favour.
“With regard to the mitigating circumstances of having rendered significant services to soccer and having received praise for sporting merit, the defendant Cristiano Ronaldo submitted his sports resume, including the awards and recognitions he has received throughout his career,” the statement added.
The decision comes nine days after the Portuguese FA announced they had opened “urgent” proceedings into Ronaldo, following his departure from the national team camp on September 30 after being an unused substitute against Norway.
Ronaldo said in a 1,740 word statement earlier in October that he did so due to head coach Jorge Jesus breaking his word to him, having allegedly promised him minutes in the match. This was compounded by Jesus not fulfilling a deal to present a pre-agreed version of events at a press conference 48 hours later, he said.
Ronaldo apologised to his team-mates in the lengthy statement for subsequently missing the final two games of the international break, and said he would not be retiring.
“The fine is pocket change for any top-level footballer”
Ronaldo’s decision to walk away from the Portugal squad midway through the last international break was a slice of melodrama few in Portugal had seen coming.
The 41-year-old and Jesus had worked together at Al-Nassr, winning the Saudi Pro League together in 2025-26. Jesus, 72, has a reputation as a disciplinarian, but a flare-up so early in his reign — and with the country’s biggest ever star — was not on many bingo cards.
The verdict of the Portuguese federation’s disciplinary committee runs to 28 pages. They took the matter seriously. So, it seems, did Ronaldo, who submitted a CV as evidence for his sporting achievements, which were taken into account when the sanction was decided.