The former president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Gilberto Madaíl, stated that Cristiano Ronaldo should have shown more humility toward the federation, while simultaneously defending national team manager Jorge Jesus.
Madaíl added, in an interview with Portuguese radio station Rádio Renascença, that Ronaldo must acknowledge the federation’s role in his career and in helping him reach his current stature.
Madaíl noted that Jesus “did more than he should have,” explaining that prior agreements with a player regarding participation in specific matches was something Ronaldo should have taken into consideration, which did not happen, according to him.
Madaíl considered that “there was absolutely no reason for this crisis to occur within the national team,” referring to the dispute that erupted after Ronaldo left the Portuguese national team training camp.
Nearly a week after Ronaldo’s sudden and dramatic departure, speculation is growing regarding the team captain’s future with the Seleção, amid media reports of an escalating crisis between him and Jesus.
According to CNN Portugal, Ronaldo is deeply angered by how the crisis was handled and may not return to the national team “as long as Jesus remains at the helm of the coaching staff.”
This comes at a time when the Portuguese Football Federation is trying to downplay the severity of the crisis; the federation’s president described the event as a “misunderstanding,” while Jesus denied that any “incident” had occurred within the team.
However, the Portuguese press paints a different picture, as the national team has been reeling for days under the weight of an unprecedented clash between its manager and its biggest star.
Ronaldo had left the national team camp after declining to reveal the reasons behind his decision, merely insisting that details of what transpired would come to light “in due course.”
The crisis centers primarily around Ronaldo’s relationship with Jesus, after the manager kept the player on the bench for the entire match against Norway, despite him warming up for nearly half an hour.
Following the match, Jesus emphasized multiple times that lineup decisions are solely his, reiterating that he alone is responsible for deciding which players take the pitch.