Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a 30-day suspension for leaving the Portuguese national team camp, the country’s football federation (FPF) announced.
The 41-year-old abruptly left the Portugal camp on September 30 during the UEFA Nations League, before accusing coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his word about giving him game time.
Ronaldo apologised to supporters earlier in October, adding he would accept any punishment that was imposed.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star, who will also have to pay a fine of 255 euros (A$410), has received the minimum penalty provided for in the federation’s regulations, which stipulate suspensions of between one and six months for leaving the national team.
Ronaldo’s suspension takes effect from the day of the Denmark match, meaning he has already served 19 days of his ban and will complete it by the end of October.
It leaves him free to play for Portugal in Nations League group matches against Denmark on November 14 and then Wales on November 17 – should he wish to mend fences with Jesus, who has publicly said he would have no concerns about welcoming him back.
The fine is unlikely to break the bank for Ronaldo, either.
His monster contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr reportedly earns him north of A$930,000 per day, while it is calculated the $410 sanction is equivalent to roughly 39 seconds’ worth of pay.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s squad after first being made to warm up as a substitute against Norway on September 27 and not being brought on, and then finding out he would not start against Denmark in the match on October 1.
The FPF disciplinary committee said it took into account “the remorse shown in the statement” issued by Ronaldo on October 6, in which he admitted his mistake and expressed his willingness to accept a punishment.
Following the announcement, Ronaldo did not directly react to the news on Instagram but did post a picture of himself preparing to train with his Saudi club, accompanied with the caption, “Putting in the work”.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is Portugal’s all-time top goalscorer and record appearance-maker in men’s international football.
But in his absence, Portugal won all four of their Nations League matches and qualified for the quarter-finals with two games to spare.
In a social media post shortly after his walk-out, Ronaldo accused Portugal boss Jesus of breaking his word about giving him game time in Nations League matches but insisted he was not retiring from international duty.
“I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,” Ronaldo posted.
He said Jesus had gone back on his word about bringing him on against Norway, and then in a press conference before the Denmark match had not said a series of points they had agreed upon during a conversation beforehand.
One of Ronaldo’s pre-approved talking points was that Jesus had “made a mistake in asking someone of the stature of Pele or Maradona to warm up and then not sending him on in the match”.
Jesus, speaking several days later, said he would select Ronaldo for international duty if the forward was playing for his club Al Nassr, and was interested in being called up.
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