Jorge Jesus has insisted he has no reason to apologise to Cristiano Ronaldo following the captain’s departure from Portugal’s national-team camp. Speaking after Sunday’s 2–1 Nations League victory over Norway, the coach rejected reports that he had already apologised privately, but stressed that Ronaldo remained eligible for future selection.
“I don’t apologise to anyone,” Jesus said when questioned about the dispute. He challenged the suggestion that an apology was necessary, asking what he was expected to apologise for and denying reports of a meeting in which he had offered one. His comments reaffirmed his authority over team selection rather than announcing the end of Ronaldo’s international career.
Ronaldo left the camp on 30 September, shortly after Jesus said he did not intend to start the 41-year-old against Denmark. The disagreement followed the striker’s appearance as an unused substitute against Norway, when he warmed up but was not brought on. Jesus acknowledged that leaving him warming up for so long without using him had been a mistake and said any player would have been disappointed.
The coach nevertheless maintained that selection decisions were his responsibility. He explained that he had initially expected to use Ronaldo but changed his mind because of how the match developed. “No player will ever make a decision for me,” Jesus said, while denying that there was a feud between them.
Portugal’s subsequent victory over Norway was a group-stage fixture, not a Nations League final against France. The result provided a positive sporting backdrop to the debate, but it did not establish that Portugal had permanently moved on from their record goalscorer or that his place in future squads had been withdrawn.
Jesus has instead left the door open. He said Ronaldo could return for the next call-up if he was playing for Al-Nassr and wanted to join the national team. Describing the episode as a misunderstanding, the coach said there was no resentment on his part and suggested that the situation could be resolved through communication.
That position is important amid speculation about Ronaldo’s future. His departure from camp does not substantiate claims that he had spent weeks boycotting Al-Nassr training and matches, nor does it justify describing a club appearance as the end of a strike. The verified dispute concerns his involvement with Portugal and the handling of his playing time.
For now, the issue is whether Ronaldo and Jesus can agree on his role within the squad. Jesus remains unwilling to apologise for exercising his authority, but he has not closed the route back. As of 5 October, Ronaldo’s next international appearance remained uncertain—not ruled out—and the coach’s firm stance coexisted with an invitation to return.
