Cristiano Ronaldo Confirms He Will Not Retire From International Football

PORTUGAL, October 6, 2026: Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that he has no plans to retire from international football following a reported dispute with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus and his decision to leave the national team’s training camp.

Ronaldo had reportedly been left frustrated after being sent to warm up during Portugal’s Nations League match against Norway but not being brought onto the field. He was later informed that he would not be included in the starting XI for the match against Denmark, prompting him to leave the national team camp.

Following his departure, the organisers reportedly handed Ronaldo’s iconic No. 7 shirt to another player, triggering strong reactions from his fans. Some supporters began unfollowing Portugal’s official Instagram account in protest.

Jorge Jesus had earlier said that Ronaldo would be welcomed back if he wanted to return, amid widespread speculation that the veteran forward had decided to end his international career.

However, Ronaldo has now put those rumours to rest. In a lengthy social media statement, the Al Nassr forward confirmed that he intends to continue playing international football and acknowledged that he deserved to be punished for leaving the national team camp.

Ronaldo said the Portuguese Football Federation should assess the consequences of his actions and impose an appropriate punishment, adding that he did not believe the penalty should be reduced.

“I have already apologised, but I know that actions have consequences,” Ronaldo said.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner added that he wanted to continue representing Portugal as long as he remained physically fit and continued playing for his club.

“If I am physically fit, playing for my team and, hopefully, scoring goals, I want to continue playing international football,” Ronaldo said. “As always, I will be available to play for the national team and help it achieve success.”

In his approximately 2,000-word statement, Ronaldo adopted a conciliatory tone at several points but also criticised Jorge Jesus and gave his version of events that led to his departure from the training camp.

According to Ronaldo, he and Jesus had initially agreed on a plan under which he would be rested during Portugal’s matches against Norway and Denmark to allow him to maintain his fitness.

Ronaldo claimed that on the day of the Norway match, however, the 72-year-old coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows what happened next,” Ronaldo said, explaining that he began warming up at the start of the second half but was never introduced.

He alleged that the coach broke the agreement between them, and said the incident damaged the trust between the two.

Ronaldo said that during a subsequent meeting with Jesus, they agreed that the coach would explain the situation during his next press conference. However, Ronaldo claimed that Jesus did not honour that commitment and instead spoke about the matter in an aggressive manner during the press conference.

The incident, according to Ronaldo, further affected their relationship and trust.

Despite the dispute, Ronaldo stressed that he remained committed to Portugal and its supporters.

“I promise all my fans, and especially the Portuguese people, that we will have our farewell matches,” he said.

Ronaldo remains one of the most decorated and influential players in international football. The Al Nassr forward has made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals, with both figures standing as world records.

He has played a key role in Portugal’s major international successes, including their triumph at the 2016 European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles.

Ronaldo’s latest statement therefore makes clear that, despite the recent dispute with the national team coach, he intends to continue representing Portugal and has not closed the door on his international career.