Portugal Begins Push to Save Cristiano Ronaldo’s International Career

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus has insisted Cristiano Ronaldo will be welcome in future international windows as the president of the nation’s Football Federation urged everyone involved to sit down and work through “a misunderstanding.”

Ronaldo left camp just two games into this extended window after a disagreement with Jesus, who left the veteran striker on the bench and then refused to apologize in a subsequent press conference. Reports suggested Ronaldo felt “betrayed” by the manager.

Behind the scenes, Portugal officials swiftly started looking at ways to rebuild Ronaldo’s relationship with the national team. A public charm offensive appears to be phase one.

Jesus: It’s Up to Ronaldo

Jorge Jesus hopes to make peace with Ronaldo. | Horacio Villalobos/Corbis/Getty Images

Manager Jesus has spent the past week insisting he did not even believe there was an issue between Ronaldo and himself.

After his side’s 2–1 over Norway, which was decided by a goal from the player who has replaced Ronaldo in the team, Gonçalo Ramos, Jesus was adamant this does not need to be the end of Ronaldo’s international career.

“I don’t know what will happen,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, everything is open.

“It’s up to Cris to decide his own life. In the next call-up, if Cris is playing and wants to be in the national team, why not?

“It was a misunderstanding. In my opinion, it’s easy to resolve. When will I resolve it? I don’t know. The game is over, and only afterwards will we know how things will turn out.

Jesus added: “I haven’t spoken to him. It was a poorly resolved issue, there wasn’t really an issue. Something was created out of nothing, a problem that led to what it led to.

“I’m a coach, the national team manager. I don’t make the decisions. I’m part of a whole. If everyone wants to share what they think is best for the national team, I’m open to everything. [Ronaldo] is the one who decides what he wants for his life. As it was before the first call-up, it will be the same before the second. We shared before the first, and if he's interested, we'll share again in the second.

“I'm not the one who’s going to decide, nor can I. It’s not sad ... It was a year working with Cris. We have a very strong professional friendship.”

Portuguese Federation Ready for Peace Talks

Cristiano Ronaldo — Ronaldo faces a huge decision about his next move. | Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images

As Ronaldo weighed up his decision to leave the Portugal camp, officials from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) got involved to try and avoid an issue with the greatest player in the nation’s history.

FPF president Pedro Proença initially tried to avoid discussing the subject during a recent interview with RTP—“This is a matter between the coach and the player”—but made sure to offer plenty of public support to Ronaldo.

“We are talking about one of the best players of all time,” Proença said. “We must pay homage to Cristiano Ronaldo. He is in the national team on his own merit, and that is unquestionable.

“He knows about this feeling. We are facing a misunderstanding, and this has to be resolved internally.”

Proença added: “Cristiano Ronaldo is part of our national team, he is our flag. And Jorge Jesus says he counts on Ronaldo. [Ronaldo] is an extraordinary player who could have ended his international career at the World Cup, but out of love for the national team, he didn’t.

“Now that these four games are over, we will have the time and peace of mind to all sit down and find a solution to this misunderstanding.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is part of our heritage and will always be here, if the manager wants him.”

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