Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation after walking out of the national team’s camp during the October international window, the Daily Mirror reported, carrying an Associated Press account.
“Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, following a decision by the Non-Professional Section on October 9, 2026,” the federation said in a statement.
What happened
Ronaldo left camp after a disagreement with manager Jorge Jesus over playing time. He says Jesus had promised he would be used as a substitute in Portugal’s Nations League win over Norway; he warmed up on the touchline but did not get on. He left before the following fixture, against Denmark, having notified the federation.
Al Jazeera reported the same sequence, and that Ronaldo accused the coach of breaking his word.
The 41-year-old apologised publicly and accepted that he should be punished.
“I owe my national team teammates an apology for leaving the training camp,” he said. “The consequence of my actions should be assessed and punished by the [federation].”
He added that he hoped to return: “If I am physically fit, playing for my club, scoring goals, I hope, that after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team.”
How long he could be out
The federation has not yet set the length of the ban. Both accounts point to the same rule: under its disciplinary regulations, a player who “abandons or fails to appear” without justification at a national team session, match or activity faces a suspension of one to six months.
Portugal’s next Nations League fixture is against Denmark in mid-November. The upper end of that range would carry Ronaldo past it.
Still scoring at club level
He returned to Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League and scored in Friday’s 3-0 win over Diriyah — his 980th career goal for club and country, a record he now holds 49 clear of Lionel Messi.
Not reported
Neither filing says when the federation will decide the length of the suspension, whether Ronaldo will be heard before it does, or whether he retains the captaincy. Neither reports a response from Jorge Jesus to Ronaldo’s claim that a promise was broken, nor whether the federation’s inquiry covers the coach’s conduct as well. No filing says whether Ronaldo’s club commitments are affected — the ban, as described, applies to national team activity only.
