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Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Portugal’s match against Spain in the Round of 16 of the World Cup at the Dallas Stadium in Texas, USA, on July 6, 2026. Photo by AP |
The 41-year-old announced his retirement on Thursday, with the FPF hoping to arrange a tribute match. However, Ronaldo has no intention of returning for one final appearance, according to OneFootball.
Ronaldo informed FPF president Pedro Proenca of his decision just hours before posting a farewell video online, Portuguese newspaper Observer reported.
Proenca then notified national team coach Jorge Jesus, who still hoped to persuade Ronaldo to play in the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales.
The 72-year-old coach, who planned to announce his official squad on November 6, didn’t want to exclude Ronaldo. He believed the captain’s presence remained a great value on the pitch and in the locker room.
However, Ronaldo had no desire to work with the current coaching staff. A phone call scheduled for November 5 between Ronaldo and Jesus failed to take place because the Portuguese superstar refused to speak with the head coach.
The conflict between Ronaldo and Jesus began at a training camp in September. During a match against Norway in Oslo, Ronaldo was benched. Upon learning he was not guaranteed a starting role for next fixtures, the dissatisfied striker left the national team camp without permission.
The FPF responded by imposing a financial penalty and a one-month suspension on their star player. The 30-day ban concluded on Oct. 30, making Ronaldo eligible for the two matches in the November international window.
In early October, Ronaldo released an open letter affirming his willingness to play and publicly accused Jesus of breaking promises regarding how their dispute would be managed. Jesus never publicly responded to the allegations.
Since a tense joint meeting with Proenca on Sept. 30, Ronaldo and Jesus have not spoken directly. Ronaldo also didn’t respond to messages sent by Jesus in recent weeks.
Ronaldo initially believed the suspension effectively rules him out of a call-up for the November fixtures, thereby delaying his return until at least the international window in March 2027. However, his suspension ended sooner than expected, allowing Jesus to call him up for this current training camp.
Faced with the prospect of being called up against his will and forced into a public refusal, Ronaldo chose to announce his retirement before the Portugal squad list reveal, Observer reported.
Although Proenca and the FPF tried to convince Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner stood firm on his decision to reject any farewell match at the moment.
The FPF later issued a statement thanking Ronaldo for his contributions, dubbing him Portugal’s “eternal captain.”
Ronaldo concluded his international career with a world record of 234 caps and 146 goals. He leaves behind an unmatched legacy that includes driving Portugal to glory at Euro 2016 and securing the UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.