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Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus is said to have made a string of unfulfilled promises to Cristiano Ronaldo, leaving the experienced striker feeling he had little option but to depart the national camp.
Frustrations over Jesus's choice to keep Ronaldo on the bench during the recent 2–1 victory against Norway spiraled into a full-blown crisis involving high-level discussions. The Portuguese Football Federation president is believed to have played a role, with reports even suggesting the country's prime minister, Luís Montenegro, was part of the negotiations that ultimately concluded with Ronaldo's departure.
Ronaldo hinted he would reveal the full story in a mysterious social media post, but El Chiringuito journalist Edu Aguirre, a trusted confidant of Ronaldo, has provided a more detailed account of the situation.
"In a private meeting involving Cristiano, the Portugal FA president and Jorge Jesus, Jorge sought Cristiano's forgiveness after making him warm up for 30 minutes without actually putting him on the pitch," Aguirre explained.
"And not only did he apologize behind closed doors, but he also told him he would do so publicly, that he would openly admit his error. That was Jorge Jesus's promise to Cristiano. Then he goes to the press conference and delivers all these lies that no one believes.
"That's why Cristiano explodes — because he feels betrayed. There's nothing more to it, it really is that simple.
"Your coach comes to you privately: 'Look, this is how things went, you understand me, O.K., I didn't handle the situation well, we're in this together, I'm sorry, if there's a press conference, I'll set the record straight, I'll apologize, don't worry, everything will be fine, everything will be sorted out.'
"Then you go to the press conference 12 hours later and leave Cristiano hanging ... and worse, you're playing the tough guy, saying you're the one in charge and that Cristiano is just another player. So Cristiano decided to head home and move on. That's why I use the word 'betrayal.'"
Ronaldo's Sister Stokes Fires on Social Media
In the immediate wake of Ronaldo's exit from the national camp, his 41-year-old sister, Elma Aveiro, turned to social media to express her feelings.
Aveiro first shared a message from a fan that read: "The national team deserved better organization. The Portuguese press deserved more professionalism and fewer assumptions. As for the Portuguese people ... well, they don't deserve the best in anything. We are envious, contemptuous, ignorant and we deserve to return to the mediocrity we always had in football before CR7. Thank you for everything CR7!"
"Enough said," was Aveiro's only addition to the post.
Aveiro continued to air her grievances on Thursday morning, posting a photo of Ronaldo in his Portugal kit with the caption: "Betrayal is a dish best served cold, and what goes around, comes around. The path is forward."
What this unfolding saga means for Ronaldo's international career will become clearer in due course. Ronaldo had previously considered stepping away from Portugal duty after the World Cup, only to be persuaded to carry on following conversations with Jesus, among others.