Cristiano Ronaldo could face a six-month suspension as his sister teases a big ‘retirement’ hint on social media.
Cristiano Ronaldo might face a big suspension after leaving the Portugal national team, and his sister hinted that his time playing for Portugal could be over. Ronaldo got into trouble after a disagreement with the manager, Jorge Jesus, because he didn’t get to play in the win against Norway. Instead of staying on the bench, Ronaldo quickly left and went to the dressing room right after the game.
Before Portugal’s match with Denmark, Ronaldo skipped training and went to the hotel to do some gym work instead. An emergency meeting was planned with Ronaldo, Jesus, and Pedro Proenca, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, to sort things out. Proenca came in quickly to help calm things down, and at first, the talks seemed hopeful. But Jesus made it clear in a press conference that no player is bigger than the team. He explained that even if he told Ronaldo he could play, as the coach, he decided he wouldn’t. Jesus also said no one, not even officials, will change his mind.
Ronaldo then left the team’s training camp and was seen in Madrid. This might lead to serious punishment from the Portuguese Football Federation. According to ESPN, if a player leaves the team without a good reason, they can be suspended between one and six months and fined up to 1,000 euros.
It’s possible Ronaldo might never serve a suspension because this could be his last time playing for Portugal. His sister, Elma dos Santos Aveiro, shared a strong message on Instagram criticizing the national team’s management and saying the Portuguese people don’t appreciate the best. Many saw her words as a sign Ronaldo is retiring from international soccer. She wrote: “The national team deserved better,” and ended with a big thank-you to Ronaldo for everything he’s done.
Ronaldo made his debut in 2003 and has scored 146 goals in 234 games for Portugal, winning the European Championships and Nations League. He also posted a message saying he will explain the reasons for his departure from the national team when the time is right.