The Cristiano case already has its first victim: “I have resigned”

The clash between Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus has already had a consequence outside the Portuguese national team. Luís Miguel Henrique, the coach's lawyer, announced that he will stop writing his weekly column in Record because of his relationship with Medialivre, a company in which Cristiano is one of the main shareholders.

Henrique explained that the decision was exclusively his and that he did not receive any pressure to leave the newspaper. His argument: as long as he maintains a dispute with Ronaldo over his role as Jorge Jesus's representative, he does not consider it appropriate to continue being paid by a company in which the footballer has a stake.

It would even be shameful

"Not by anyone's imposition, but by mere and pure personal decision", Henrique explained when announcing his departure. The lawyer maintained that the situation could call his independence into question and that he preferred to end the collaboration rather than create doubts about his opinions.

Henrique also argued that "there is no intellectual independence without financial independence" and considered criticizing a person while maintaining a paid professional relationship with a company in which that person has a stake to be incompatible.

His last column in Record was titled My last dance and was marked by criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo. The lawyer questioned some of the forward's decisions and statements and used an especially harsh tone against the Portuguese captain.

There he argues that, in his view, reason is on the side of the Portuguese coach and admits that he would like the dispute to end differently, although he declares himself “extremely pessimistic” about the direction it has taken.

It also makes clear that he does not want anyone to be able to think that Cristiano, or any other figure, has the capacity to impose any “consequence” on him because of his positions. His argument is that freedom of expression loses value if it is only exercised when it does not entail any personal or professional cost. That is why he understands his resignation as a way of protecting his autonomy.

'"Cristiano Ronaldo, through his actions, his behavior, and his obsession with certain metrics, is achieving what no opponent has managed: ruining our ability to remember all the good he gave us."'

Luís Miguel Henrique

There is an important nuance regarding the group's ownership. Cristiano Ronaldo is not the majority shareholder of Medialivre, but rather one of its main shareholders. CR7 S.A. controls 30% of the capital, while Sorolla S.A. owns 32%. Medialivre owns Record, Correio da Manhã, CMTV, NOW, and other Portuguese media outlets.

Jorge Jesus's lawyer also criticized Cristiano

Henrique's departure comes amid the full-blown crisis between Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus. The conflict began after the match against Norway, when Cristiano remained on the bench despite having warmed up for around half an hour.

According to the footballer's version, he had been told that he would play approximately 30 minutes. In the end, he did not take the field and later left the Portuguese training camp before the match against Denmark. Days later, he publicly explained his version and acknowledged that his decision could have disciplinary consequences.

The Portuguese Football Federation has already opened disciplinary proceedings and ordered a non-automatic preventive suspension against Ronaldo. The procedure was declared urgent and was placed in the hands of the Disciplinary Investigation Commission.

Ronaldo, for his part, left open the possibility of returning to the national team once whatever suspension applies has been served. Jorge Jesus himself also pointed out that the striker could be called up again if he is willing to return.

Thus, a dispute that began within the Portuguese national team has now reached another arena. Jorge Jesus's lawyer decided to leave one of the newspapers in the group in which Cristiano Ronaldo is a shareholder, turning the conflict between them into an issue that also affects the Portuguese media landscape.