The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has handed down a lenient sanction against Cristiano Ronaldo following his unauthorized departure from the national team camp, a decision that leaves the door open for his return during the upcoming international break.
Portuguese outlet Notícias ao Minuto revealed details of the Disciplinary Board’s ruling issued on Monday, following an investigation into the rift between the national team captain and manager Jorge Jesus during the September camp.
The ruling imposed a 30-day suspension on Ronaldo, alongside a nominal fine of just €255, after finding him in violation of Article 160 of the disciplinary regulations. The article allows for suspensions ranging from one to six months, resulting in the striker receiving the minimum allowable timeframe.
In a key paradox, the provisional suspension already served by the player counts toward the sentence, rendering him eligible for selection against Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17. Consequently, the ruling imposes no additional missed fixtures for the upcoming camp, despite being framed as a full one-month ban.
The crisis began after Ronaldo remained an unused substitute throughout Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo on September 27, despite warming up on the touchline. Three days later, he left the squad’s camp in Copenhagen on the eve of the match against Denmark, turning the incident into a formal disciplinary case.
In a statement published on October 6, the Al-Nassr striker apologized for walking out on his teammates but accused Jesus of breaching a promise regarding his playing time, explaining that the incident had damaged the trust between them. This remains the player’s account of the conflict that preceded his exit.
Addressing his potential accountability, Ronaldo had previously stated: “The penalty should not be reduced. I am not an ordinary player, I am the captain of the national team, and that is an aggravating factor.” However, the eventual ruling proved far lighter than the scenarios under consideration, both in terms of suspension length and the magnitude of the financial penalty.
Regarding his international future, he added: “If I am in good physical condition and playing for my club, I will be available to compete and win after serving the suspension,” affirming that he does not view the incident as the end of his journey with Portugal, despite admitting he contemplated international retirement following the 2026 World Cup.
FPF President Pedro Proença is actively working to reconcile the two parties, having confirmed a desire to restore the captain to the fold. Nevertheless, the expiration of the suspension does not guarantee Ronaldo’s automatic return; his call-up ultimately rests in the hands of Jesus and the ability of both figures to move past their dispute.
