A temporary match ban against super player Cristiano Ronaldo

In the face of disciplinary charges stemming from his abandonment of the national team's training camp, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has imposed a temporary match ban on 41-year-old superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. This incident, referred to the Disciplinary Committee as an 'urgent' measure, will have its information kept confidential until the investigations are concluded, and no final penalty has been announced yet.

This crisis erupted during the UEFA Nations League international match period. In late September, Ronaldo played in the match against Wales, after which he was substituted by Gonçalo Ramos. Portugal won that match 1-0. Subsequently, on September 27th in Oslo, Ronaldo was named as a substitute for the match against Norway, and although he warmed up from the second half, he was not called onto the field. After that match, which Portugal won 2-1 with goals from João Félix and Ramos, Ronaldo did not even come forward to greet the fans.

The situation escalated when coach Jorge Jesus hinted at a press conference on September 30th that Ronaldo would not be included in the starting lineup for the upcoming match against Denmark in Copenhagen. Immediately, Ronaldo informed the Football Federation that he was leaving the training camp and departed back to his Saudi club team, Al-Nassr. Without him, Portugal defeated Denmark 4-2 in the match held in Copenhagen on October 1st, with goals scored by João Cancelo, Ramos, Vitinha, and Félix. Portugal is currently leading Group 'A4' having won all four of its matches.

After withdrawing from the camp, Ronaldo issued a lengthy statement of nearly 2,000 words to his nearly 679 million followers on social media, accusing coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his promises twice and "completely shattering trust." He stated that he had agreed to withdraw from the Norway and Denmark matches based on a physical management plan, but on the day of the Norway match, when the coach asked if he could play for about 30 minutes, he agreed and warmed up, but was not called onto the field.

"I was warming up from the second half and watching the minutes tick by, but I wasn't called on. The coach broke the promise he made to me," Ronaldo noted in his statement. He also stated that during a private discussion, it was agreed that eight points, including the coach publicly admitting fault for making someone of the stature of Pelé or Maradona warm up without being brought onto the field, would be presented at the press conference, but this did not happen at the press conference.

However, Ronaldo apologized to his teammates for abandoning the camp, stating, "Even though my absolute trust in the coach's word was shattered, I should not have done that. The responsibility for it is entirely mine." He further emphasized, "The consequences of my actions must be assessed and penalized by the federation. There should be no leniency for that. I am not an ordinary player; I am the captain of the team, which makes the offense even more serious." He expressed regret for not greeting the fans after the Norway match and stated that he would not retire and was ready to play for the national team even after the penalty period, hoping for one or more farewell matches.

Based on facts reported on October 7th, the non-professional division of the Portuguese Football Federation initiated this disciplinary investigation against Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro on October 9th and confirmed the temporary ban. The next day, the case was referred to the Disciplinary Committee. According to federation rules, a player who misses or abandons a training session, match, or national team activity without a valid reason can be subjected to a match ban of one to six months and a fine. According to some reports, professional players could face a fine of between 500 and 1,000 Euros, and the captaincy status is considered a factor that exacerbates the penalty. Federation President Pedro Proença has urged all parties to act with restraint. He stated that there is a strong hope of seeing the captain return to the team and that the normal disciplinary process will proceed.

Coach Jorge Jesus has refrained from engaging in public debates, having only previously stated that Ronaldo could return to the national team if he wished. He mentioned that he had read Ronaldo's statement and was focused on the team, but did not provide a detailed response. Ronaldo, who has appeared in 234 matches for Portugal, scored 146 goals, and won the Ballon d'Or five times, had considered retiring after the 2026 World Cup but decided to continue playing at the request of the federation. Meanwhile, playing for Al-Nassr, he managed to score his 980th professional goal against Diriyah on October 9th. Various opinions are being expressed in Portugal regarding this incident, and whether the active temporary ban will be officially extended will be decided at the end of the investigations, which could also impact upcoming matches in November.