Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has been provisionally suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after leaving the national team camp. The federation has started a disciplinary investigation and referred the case to its committee for review. No final punishment has been announced yet.
The development follows a reported fallout between Ronaldo and Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus over the forward’s playing time during the team’s recent international assignment. Ronaldo, 41, subsequently apologised to his teammates and Portuguese supporters, acknowledging that he should not have left the national team camp.
What did the FPF say?
The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed that disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against Ronaldo following a decision by its Non-Professional Section on October 9, 2026.
In its statement, the federation said, “The initiation of disciplinary proceedings against Cristiano Ronaldo, by deliberation of the Non-Professional Section, of October 9, 2026, with the purpose of the investigation of any disciplinary relevance of the facts participated on October 7”.
“Without prejudice to the automatic preventive suspension to which he was subject until the date of establishment, the non-automatic preventive suspension of the player was determined, and the urgent nature was attributed to the process”.
What happened between Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus?
The controversy reportedly followed Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway, during which Ronaldo remained an unused substitute. Ronaldo reportedly claimed that head coach Jorge Jesus had promised him 30 minutes of playing time before changing his decision. Jesus, however, denied that such an agreement had been made.
The disagreement was followed by Ronaldo’s departure from the national team camp to return to club duties with Al-Nassr, triggering disciplinary scrutiny from the Portuguese federation.
Cristiano Ronaldo apologises, accepts possible punishment
Ronaldo later apologised to his teammates and supporters for leaving the camp, admitting that his actions were not appropriate. He also stated that the federation should assess his conduct and decide on the appropriate punishment.
“The consequences of my actions must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” Ronaldo said in a statement earlier this week.
The Portugal captain also made it clear that he remained committed to representing his country and was prepared to accept the consequences of his actions.
What Punishment could Cristiano Ronaldo face?
Under Article 160 of the Portuguese Football Federation’s disciplinary regulations, unjustified abandonment of national team duty can reportedly result in a suspension ranging from one to six months.
However, Ronaldo’s case remains under investigation, and the possible duration of any suspension will depend on the disciplinary proceedings and the federation’s final decision.
No definitive punishment has been announced, and it would be premature to conclude that Ronaldo will miss any specific upcoming international fixture.
Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Al-Nassr and scores
Despite the controversy surrounding his international future, Ronaldo returned to club action with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
The forward scored the opening goal in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 victory over Diriyah on Friday. Ronaldo reacted quickly to a rebound after Kingsley Coman’s shot was blocked by goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah, finishing from close range.
The goal took Ronaldo’s reported career tally to 980, according to the supplied report. The victory also helped Al-Nassr remain level on points with league leaders Al-Qadsiah, with goal difference separating the teams after eight rounds.
The 41-year-old has not announced his retirement from international football and has expressed his willingness to continue representing Portugal. His availability for upcoming matches will depend on the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.
