British broadcaster Piers Morgan has launched a fresh attack on Jorge Jesus over his handling of Cristiano Ronaldo, accusing the Portugal manager of trying to assert his authority at the expense of the team’s captain.
Morgan is well-known for his close ties to Ronaldo and has conducted multiple lengthy interviews with him, including the controversial sit-down that preceded the Portuguese superstar’s departure from Manchester United in November 2022.
Writing on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Morgan posted: “This guy is the Portuguese Ten Hag, trying to make a name for himself by playing the big hard man and humiliating Cristiano in a shockingly disrespectful way.”
He added: “I’ll address what he did tonight on Football Uncensored, from the perspective of someone who is very well-informed on what happened.”
The comparison between Jesus and Erik ten Hag carries clear significance, as Ronaldo had previously accused the former Manchester United manager of lacking respect for him during his famous interview with Morgan, just days before terminating his contract with the English club.
The British presenter had previously labeled Jesus “arrogant” and accused him of belittling the greatest player in Portugal’s history. He also criticized assigning the number 7 shirt to Rafael Leão following Ronaldo’s departure from the camp, despite the move being tied to squad number registration rules.
The current crisis unfolded when the 41-year-old spent a lengthy period warming up against Norway without coming on, before subsequently missing training and departing the Portugal camp on the eve of their match against Denmark.
Ronaldo has yet to offer his full version of events, stating only that he will reveal the truth at the right time. Consequently, Morgan’s claim of having insider knowledge remains to be tested in his upcoming broadcast.
Morgan’s outburst comes despite efforts by both Jesus and Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proença to de-escalate tensions and leave the door open for Ronaldo’s return in November, leaving the player’s own stance as the decisive factor in the next chapter of the saga.
