Cristiano Ronaldo has reaffirmed his commitment to Portugal and accepted that he should face disciplinary action after leaving the national team camp during the recent Nations League fixtures.
The 41-year-old forward admitted that his decision to leave the squad was wrong, despite his disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus over his playing time.
Ronaldo said he remains available for international selection once any suspension has been served, insisting that his priority is still to compete for Portugal rather than bring his international career to an early end.
“If I am physically well, playing for my club, with goals I hope, after serving the suspension that may be applied to me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,” Ronaldo said in a statement shared with Reuters.
The Al Nassr forward also apologised to his team-mates and supporters for leaving the camp, taking full responsibility for his actions.
“I owe my team-mates an apology for leaving the camp,” Ronaldo said. “The responsibility lies with me alone.”
His comments come after a disagreement with Jesus over an alleged agreement concerning his involvement in Portugal’s matches against Norway and Denmark.
Ronaldo claimed that he had been told he would be rested for the two fixtures as part of a plan to manage his fitness. He said that understanding changed before the Norway match, when Jesus allegedly told him he would play for 30 minutes.
“I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said. “The manager had broken his word to me.”
Jesus has denied that such an agreement existed but has indicated that Ronaldo remains welcome back in the national team.
Rather than seeking special treatment, Ronaldo has called on the Portuguese Football Federation to assess his conduct and impose whatever punishment it considers appropriate.
“The Portuguese Football Federation must assess the consequences of my actions and punish me for them. I believe the punishment should not be reduced,” he said.
“I am not an ordinary player; I am the captain of the team, and that represents an aggravating factor.”
Under the federation’s disciplinary regulations, leaving an international camp without justification can result in a suspension of between one and six months, alongside a financial penalty.
Despite the possibility of a lengthy suspension, Ronaldo has dismissed suggestions that the incident signals the beginning of the end of his international career.
The Portugal captain, who has scored a world-record 146 goals in 234 appearances for his country, said he remains focused on playing rather than planning his retirement.
“When I think of the national team, what I really think of is competing,” Ronaldo said.
He added that a farewell would come eventually, but that he was not yet ready to make it the focus of his international career.
“I can promise all my fans, naturally and especially all Portuguese people, that we will have one or more farewell matches; there will be time for that.”
For now, Ronaldo’s message is clear: despite the controversy surrounding his departure from camp, he intends to remain available for Portugal and accept the consequences of his actions.