Cristiano Ronaldo apologises for Portugal walkout, but not retiring

The 41-year-old left the squad after being an unused substitute in Portugal's 2-1 win over Norway on September 27 and subsequently discovering he would not start against Denmark.

Ronaldo said his decision stemmed from a breakdown in trust with head coach Jorge Jesus, claiming the manager had agreed that he would be rested for the two matches as part of a plan to manage his fitness.

According to Ronaldo, that agreement changed on the day of the Norway match when Jesus 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 in a statement shared with Reuters. "The manager had broken his word to me."

He said it was the second time Jesus had failed to keep his word, prompting him to leave the training camp rather than wait for another disagreement.

Jesus subsequently denied that any such agreement had been made, although he said the door remained open for Ronaldo to return to the national team.

Despite the dispute, Ronaldo made it clear that his international career is not over.

"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," he said.

Ronaldo also apologised to his Portugal team-mates and supporters, admitting that leaving the camp was wrong regardless of his frustrations with the coach.

"I owe my team-mates an apology for leaving the camp," he said. "The responsibility lies with me alone."

The Al Nassr forward went further by asking the Portuguese Football Federation to punish him rather than reduce any potential sanction because of his status as captain.

"The Portuguese Football Federation must assess the consequences of my actions and punish me for them. I believe the punishment should not be reduced," Ronaldo 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, a player who leaves an international camp without justification can face a suspension of between one and six months, as well as a financial penalty.

Ronaldo, who has scored a world-record 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal, also rejected suggestions that his focus should now be on arranging a farewell to his international career.

He said he remained focused on competing for the national team and would deal with any eventual farewell when the time comes.

"When I think of the national team, what I really think of is competing," Ronaldo said.

"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."

Ronaldo's statement brings clarity to his immediate international intentions, with the forward insisting that he remains available for Portugal once any suspension has been served.

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