Ronaldo Gets 30-Day Ban and €255 Fine From Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for 30 days and fined €255 by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after leaving the national team’s camp in Copenhagen without permission during September’s international break, following a disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus over his role in the side.

The federation’s disciplinary council announced the punishment on Monday, October 19, after finding the 41-year-old forward guilty of deliberately breaching its disciplinary regulations. The ruling imposed the suspension alongside the financial penalty, bringing a formal conclusion to disciplinary proceedings arising from his departure on September 30.

The incident followed Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway on September 27, when Ronaldo remained an unused substitute. The Portugal captain subsequently accused Jesus of going back on assurances about his playing time. Ronaldo left the team’s base in Copenhagen ahead of the scheduled Nations League match against Denmark, which Portugal won without him.

Ronaldo’s departure came amid growing tension over his place in the team. He had previously worked with Jesus at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, but their relationship came under scrutiny after the coach decided not to use him against Norway and indicated that he would not start the Denmark match.

In a statement published on October 6, Ronaldo accepted responsibility for leaving the camp and apologised to his team-mates and supporters. He maintained that he believed promises about his role had been broken, but said he would accept whatever disciplinary decision the federation reached.

Jesus, for his part, denied that there had been an agreement guaranteeing Ronaldo a particular amount of playing time. However, he did not rule out the forward returning to the squad, leaving open the possibility of a resolution between the player and the national team setup.

The federation’s disciplinary regulations provide for a suspension of between one and six months for a player who leaves or unjustifiably fails to attend a national team activity after being called up. Ronaldo received the minimum 30-day suspension. Reports on the ruling also indicate that his admission of the underlying facts, public apology and disciplinary record were considered mitigating factors.

Despite the headline sanction, Ronaldo is not expected to miss Portugal’s next scheduled Nations League matches. The punishment was treated as running from the period immediately following his departure, and reports published after the ruling said he had already served most of the 30-day period. Portugal are scheduled to face Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17.

The case has drawn attention because Ronaldo remains one of Portugal’s most prominent players and its record men’s international goalscorer. His departure also exposed a difficult issue facing national-team coaches: balancing the status and expectations of established stars with selection decisions and the demands of managing a squad. For Portugal, the disciplinary process has addressed the unauthorized walkout, but the longer-term question of Ronaldo’s role under Jesus remains a separate sporting matter.