‘A Betrayal’—The Broken Promises That Led to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal Exit

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus is reported to have made a series of broken promises to Cristiano Ronaldo that left the veteran forward feeling as though he had no choice but to leave camp.

Tensions over Jesus’s decision to leave Ronaldo on the bench in the recent 2–1 win over Norway escalated into a full-on crisis that included crunch talks. The Portuguese Football Federation president is understood to have been involved and there are even reports suggesting the country’s prime minister, Luís Montenegro, was part of the negotiations that ultimately ended with Ronaldo’s exit.

Ronaldo promised to reveal the truth in a cryptic social media update, but El Chiringuito reporter Edu Aguirre, a close associate of Ronaldo, has offered a deeper explanation of the issue.

“In a private meeting with Cristiano, the Portugal FA president and Jorge Jesus, Jorge asked Cristiano for forgiveness after making him warm up for 30 minutes without bringing him on,” Aguirre began.

“And not only did he apologize privately, but he also told him he would apologize publicly, that he would publicly admit his mistake. That’s Jorge Jesus’s promise to Cristiano. And then he goes to the press conference and tells these many lies that nobody believes.

“That’s why Cristiano explodes, because he feels betrayed. There’s nothing more to it, it’s really like that.

“Your coach comes to you privately: ‘Look, see, this is how it was, you understand me, O.K., I didn’t manage the situation well, we’re in this together, I’m sorry, if there’s a press conference, I’ll clarify everything, I’ll apologize, don’t worry, everything will be fine, everything will be resolved.’

“Then you go to the press conference 12 hours later and leave Cristiano still ... and worse, you’re acting tough, saying that you’re the one in charge and that Cristiano is just another player. So Cristiano decided to go home and move on. That’s why I say ‘betrayal.’”

Ronaldo’s Sister Stokes Fires on Social Media

Cristiano Ronaldo — Ronaldo’s sister did not hold back. | Torbjorn Tande/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

In the immediate aftermath of Ronaldo’s withdrawal from camp, his 41-year-old sister, Elma Aveiro, took to social media to voice her concerns.

Aveiro first shared a message from a supporter that read: “The national team deserved better structuring. The Portuguese press deserved more competence and fewer guesses. As for the Portuguese ... well, they don’t deserve the best in anything. We are envious, contemptuous, ignorant and we deserve to return to the mediocrity we always had in football before CR7. Thank you for everything CR7!”

“Enough said,” was Aveiro’s addition to the post.

Aveiro continued to voice her frustrations on Thursday morning, sharing a picture of Ronaldo in his Portugal gear with the caption: “Betrayal is a dish best served cold, and what does around, come’s around. The path is forward.”

What this saga means for Ronaldo’s international future will soon be clarified. Ronaldo had been contemplating retiring from Portugal duty after the World Cup, only to be convinced to continue following talks with Jesus, among others.

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