Jesus’s conditions hinder Ronaldo’s return... A decisive meeting that everyone is waiting for!

October 18 

A New Development

The situation between Cristiano Ronaldo and his compatriot—Portugal’s head coach—has grown increasingly complex. A return to the national team for the Al-Nassr captain currently appears difficult, as the coach remains firm on the conditions that sparked the initial dispute, even while expressing a desire to have the veteran star back for upcoming fixtures.

According to Saudi media, citing a source close to the coach, the latter would like to see Ronaldo return but has no intention of relaxing the rules he has established. Consequently, resolving the crisis will depend on reaching a mutual understanding.

Conversely, the sources denied that the dispute threatens Jesus’s position, asserting that reports suggesting he might leave as a result of the crisis do not reflect the current situation.

The Portuguese Football Federation president takes action—will he succeed in resolving the crisis?

Efforts to contain the dispute are ongoing; Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, is seeking to arrange a meeting between Ronaldo and Jesus. The goal is to bridge their differences and resolve the crisis before the upcoming international break. However, no agreement has yet been reached to hold such a meeting, leaving the future of the relationship between the two parties open to various possibilities.

The crisis began during a match between Portugal and Norway last September, when Ronaldo remained on the bench for the entire game—despite having gone through warm-ups. Tensions escalated further when Jesus announced that Ronaldo would not be in the starting lineup against Denmark, prompting the national team captain to leave the training camp before the match—a move that sparked widespread controversy within Portuguese sporting circles.

Ronaldo accuses Jesus of failing to keep his promises

Later, Ronaldo issued a statement apologizing to the fans and his teammates for leaving the camp. However, he also revealed a dispute regarding two agreements he claimed to have made with the coach: the first concerned a promise of approximately 30 minutes of playing time against Norway, and the second involved clarifying his situation during the press conference ahead of the Denmark match. Ronaldo affirmed his readiness to face the consequences of his decision, while leaving the door open for a potential return to the national team.

For his part, Jesus emphasized that he still needs Ronaldo on the team, regardless of whether he plays in matches or not, noting that any return would also depend on the player’s own desire. Meanwhile, Proença described the crisis as a "misunderstanding" that should be resolved internally within the national team, expressing hope that the Portuguese captain could return for the upcoming gathering in November.

Caught between Jesus’s firm conditions and the Portuguese Football Federation’s desire to resolve the dispute, Ronaldo’s return hinges on whether the parties involved can reach an arrangement that preserves both the coach’s authority and the captain’s standing. As of now, no final agreement has been announced; whether the Al-Nassr star will participate in the upcoming gathering remains a subject of anticipation, pending the outcome of mediation efforts in the coming days.