Ronaldo faces possible suspension after leaving Portugal camp

15:05

By: Azzat Manal

Ronaldo faces possible suspension after leaving Portugal camp

Cristiano Ronaldo could face disciplinary action after leaving Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen, with the Portuguese Football Federation’s disciplinary regulations allowing for a suspension of up to six months in certain circumstances.

The 41-year-old captain left the national team camp on Wednesday, shortly after head coach Jorge Jesus held a press conference in which he stressed that he had the final say over team selection. Jesus also indicated that Ronaldo’s status would not give him different treatment from the rest of the squad.

According to Article 160 of the Portuguese Football Federation’s disciplinary regulations, a player who has been officially called up and leaves or unjustifiably misses a national-team training session, match or related activity can be suspended for between one and six months. Professional players may also face a fine of between five and 10 accounting units, currently equivalent to roughly €500 to €1,000.

The same provision states that an absence or departure may trigger an automatic precautionary suspension under the procedures set out in the federation’s disciplinary framework. However, no disciplinary sanction against Ronaldo had been announced at the time of publication.

The Portuguese federation confirmed that Ronaldo had left the camp in Copenhagen but did not provide a reason for his departure. It said preparations for the upcoming matches against Denmark and Norway would continue with the other 24 players called up.

Ronaldo later addressed the situation on social media, saying he had decided to leave after speaking with federation president Pedro Proença. The Portugal captain said he would explain the reasons behind his decision “in time”, without providing further details.

The departure followed growing attention around Ronaldo’s role under Jesus. Ronaldo did not feature in Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway and had trained separately from his teammates in the days before leaving the camp, while Jesus denied that there had been a major incident between them.

Section: Sports / Football