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Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has made clear he would alter nothing—"Zero!" he declared emphatically—about the sequence of events leading up to Cristiano Ronaldo's international retirement, which even caught the manager off guard.
Ronaldo stunned many on Thursday when he posted a five-minute video announcing his immediate withdrawal from the Portugal national squad. The nation's record appearance holder and leading scorer had experienced a turbulent previous international window in which he publicly butted heads with Jesus, heading back to Saudi Arabia midway through the four scheduled matches.
The extensive statement that followed Ronaldo's walkout last month suggested there would be room for "one or more farewell matches," seemingly taking retirement off the agenda. Portugal duly handed their star player the minimum possible fine and suspended him during a period with no international games scheduled, ahead of what many had expected to be his comeback in November. Even Jesus had been planning to include Ronaldo in his squad on Friday before Thursday's announcement.
"Of course, I did think about his return; I considered calling him up and having a conversation with him," Jesus told reporters when unveiling his squad this week. "But I have to respect his decision. He decided it was time to step away from the national team—something that was always going to happen sooner or later."
Remarkably, Jesus disclosed that he learned of Ronaldo's plans at the same time as everyone else. "I found out when the rest of us did," the former Al Nassr manager explained. "His decision was communicated to me yesterday—just as it was to you—following the video he released and the statement he issued. Up until that moment, I had no knowledge of anything. He had been playing, scoring goals and was among the players I had in mind for my lineup."
Jesus was taken aback, but far from disheartened. As he explained, upon signing a contract running until the 2030 World Cup—by which time Ronaldo would be 45—the experienced manager had always anticipated that he would eventually be the one to usher out the country's greatest ever player.
"If it hadn't happened with this squad selection, it might have come up whenever I decided to make a change," Jesus stated plainly. "At any stage during this Nations League campaign, this was always going to occur; I was always going to be associated with Ronaldo's departure."
Yet, the part Jesus played in Ronaldo's chaotic farewell is not something that will trouble his sleep.
'At Peace'—Jesus Rules on Role in Ronaldo Retirement
If this is the end, it wasn't meant to end this way. pic.twitter.com/IoHayRTesH
Jesus has been reluctant to elaborate on the details surrounding Ronaldo's Portugal exit. The former captain alleged that his manager had altered the terms of his playing time, made him warm up without bringing him on, and declined to follow the talking points prepared for him at the subsequent press conference. A month later, Jesus showed absolutely no regret.
"I wouldn't change a thing. Zero!" Jesus emphasized, slicing the air with pinched fingers to drive the point home. "Because I made a coach's decision—a decision made with my team, the Portuguese team, in mind. I am fully aware that I did nothing to cause this situation."
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"Perhaps I moved quickly," Jesus added, "but not because of me. He had it in his mind that—regardless of how many times he was called up—this was always going to happen. It was inevitable during my tenure. I feel no guilt about anything regarding his departure. I respect his decision, and, equally, his legacy cannot be ignored."
"There are no hard feelings whatsoever," the 72-year-old stated. "Why? Because every decision I made was with the team in mind. As a coach, I have always prioritized what was best for the team. I am at peace with my decision."