Cristiano Ronaldo has been provisionally suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after disciplinary proceedings were initiated over his departure from the national team camp ahead of Portugal's Nations League match against Denmark.
The 41-year-old forward left Portugal's training camp in Copenhagen following a reported disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus. The dispute arose after Ronaldo was left on the bench during Portugal's match against Norway, despite warming up, and accused the coach of breaking his word over his role in the team.
According to reports in Portuguese media, the FPF has placed the disciplinary case under urgent status and imposed a non-automatic preventive suspension on Ronaldo while the matter is examined.
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Ronaldo had earlier apologised for leaving his teammates and failing to acknowledge supporters after the Norway match. However, he maintained that Jesus had reneged on an agreement concerning his participation and the coach's explanation of the decision.
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In a statement published on social media, the Portugal captain accepted that his actions could carry consequences and said he would remain available for national team selection after serving any punishment imposed by the federation.
Ronaldo's departure came before Portugal's Nations League fixture against Denmark, adding to uncertainty surrounding his immediate international future. The forward has represented Portugal throughout a record-breaking international career and remains the team's all-time leading scorer.
The Portuguese federation has yet to publicly confirm the final punishment Ronaldo could face. Reuters reported on Saturday that it had contacted the FPF for comment.
The disciplinary proceedings follow a period of tension between Ronaldo and Jesus, with the forward publicly outlining his version of events and insisting that the disagreement over his role contributed to his decision to leave the camp.
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