Ronaldo apologizes for leaving the Portugal camp...and escalates his dispute with Jesus

It took Ronaldo several days before he revealed what he described as "the truth" about his sudden departure from the Portuguese national team camp last week.

In a lengthy statement he published on Tuesday evening on his Instagram account, he clarified his position in 1,740 words, the conclusion of which was: No international retirement, but rather an apology for the mistake, accompanied by sharp criticism of the coach, suggesting that the dispute between the two parties has entered a new phase.

Ronaldo admitted that he should not have left the national team camp in Copenhagen, stressing that he bears full responsibility for what happened. But at the same time, he justified his behavior by direct accusations against coach Jorge Jesus, saying that he did not adhere to what was agreed upon between them on two occasions, and that he was not ready to accept a new retreat from those understandings.

The Portuguese captain recounted the details of what happened during the European Nations League matches against Wales on September 24, then Norway three days later, and finally Denmark on October 1, a match that he missed after leaving the camp.

According to his account, Jesus did not abide by the agreements related to his participation in the matches, and that the decision to leave came after he did not even get the opportunity to participate as a substitute against Norway.

Ronaldo explained that the agreement was for Jesus to transparently explain the reasons for his exclusion against Norway during the press conference that preceded the Denmark match. However, according to the player, the coach gave a completely different account of what happened between them.

Ronaldo said: “I heard statements and found hostility that I did not think I deserved, in addition to a condescending manner.”

The dispute between Ronaldo and Jesus is entering the escalation stage

The 41-year-old player did not try to evade his responsibility, as he apologized to the Portuguese fans and to his teammates in the national team, stressing his readiness to accept any punishment that the Portuguese Football Federation may impose.

At the same time, he stressed that he is still ready to represent his country, which raises questions about the possibility of continuing cooperation between him and the coach after this public escalation.

It seems that the statement did not end the dispute between the two parties, but rather pushed it towards further escalation, in what looked like an open conflict between the star and the coach. Jesus recently confirmed that the door is still open for Ronaldo's return, saying: "If he wants to return, he will return to the national team, and we can talk before the next call-up, but the decision is up to him."