Cristiano Ronaldo has received a 30-day ban from the Portuguese Football Federation after departing the national team camp during September's international fixtures. The 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward and team captain walked out on Portugal's Nations League squad after spending the match against Norway as an unused substitute and subsequently discovering he would not be in the starting lineup against Denmark.
The sanction follows an initial provisional suspension handed to the veteran forward on 9 October. On Monday, the federation's disciplinary council confirmed it had upheld the charge against Ronaldo in full while also imposing a fine of 255 euros (£189). In a lengthy statement, Ronaldo defended his departure by claiming head coach Jorge Jesus twice "broke his word" and committed an "absolute breach of trust." However, it remains unspecified which fixtures or official activities are impacted by the suspension, or whether the time served under his provisional ban will count toward the 30-day penalty.
Addressing the fallout after his team secured a 2-1 victory, Jesus denied that any prior agreement with Ronaldo existed, though the manager left the door open for the forward's potential return. Ronaldo has since accepted accountability for his actions, issuing an apology to his international team-mates and supporters while acknowledging that he deserved to be punished.
National team officials appear eager to move past the dispute once the penalty is served. Pedro Proenc, president of the FPF, told Portuguese outlet Record that there is a "strong desire" to see Ronaldo back with Portugal once the situation is settled. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner remains the men's world record holder with 146 goals in 234 international appearances, a decorated career that includes lifting the Euro 2016 trophy and winning the Nations League twice.