‘It was a misunderstanding between us’: Jorge Jesus opens door to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal return, but leaves decision to him
Cristiano Ronaldo had left the Portugal camp in Copenhagen late last month after Jorge Jesus confirmed that he would not start the game against Denmark
Portugal have made it four wins out of four since the end of the 2026 World Cup earlier this summer, with the 2-1 return-game win against Norway sealing their place in the quarterfinals of the Nations League. After the match, Portugal coach Jorge Jesus admitted to a "misunderstanding" between him and Cristiano Ronaldo, which led to the 41-year-old's abrupt departure from the national camp over a week ago. Jesus has now opened the door to Ronaldo's return to the national team.
Portugal's forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo warms up ahead the UEFA Nations League Group A4 football match between Norway and Portugal (AFP)
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Ronaldo had left the Portugal camp in Copenhagen late last month after Jesus confirmed that he would not start the game against Denmark. He had remained an unused substitute in the game against Norway that preceded it as well.
He took to social media to announce his departure, saying that the decision was taken after a discussion with Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca, and that he would reveal the details of his decision "in due course".
The situation has since spiralled, with rumours swirling that Ronaldo might be all done with his international football career. But Jesus has left the door open for his return to the team, while leaving the decision entirely to the player.
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The situation has since spiralled, with rumours swirling that Ronaldo might be all done with his international football career. But Jesus has left the door open for his return to the team, while leaving the decision entirely to the player.
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"Everything is open, Cris has to decide his own life. It doesn't depend on me... it was a misunderstanding between us. Cris has to decide. In my view, it's easy to resolve," he said.
Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo is Portugal's record scorer and most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 international appearances.
Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca also said Ronaldo remained part of the team's plans, describing the episode as a misunderstanding that should be resolved internally.
"He is in the national team on sporting merit, and that must be unquestionable," Proenca told RTP. "We have to pay tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo."
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Jesus, who also coached Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, expects the forward to be available for the next international window if he wants to return.
Portugal next host Denmark on Nov. 14 before visiting Wales three days later.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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