Jorge Jesus Says He Had Not Read Cristiano Ronaldo’s Statement on Portugal Dispute

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus has said he had not yet read Cristiano Ronaldo’s lengthy public statement addressing their recent dispute within the national team.

Jesus made the comment late Tuesday, explaining that he was watching Portugal’s Under-21 match when Ronaldo’s statement was released.

Football journalist Fabrizio Romano quoted Jesus as saying: “I didn’t read Cristiano’s statement, I was watching Portugal U21 game. I will now have time to read it.”

Ronaldo, 41, had earlier published a detailed first-person account explaining the events that led to his departure from Portugal’s training camp last week.

In the statement, the Al Nassr forward alleged that Jesus broke his word on two occasions during the international window.

Ronaldo claimed Jesus had promised him around 30 minutes of playing time against Norway in the UEFA Nations League but left him on the bench despite allowing him to complete an extended warm-up.

The Portugal captain also alleged that a subsequent private meeting involving federation officials produced points that Jesus was expected to clarify publicly, but said the coach’s later comments did not reflect what had been agreed.

Ronaldo apologised to his teammates and supporters for the way he left the camp and acknowledged that he could face disciplinary action over the incident.

The veteran forward also appeared to leave open the possibility of returning to the national team.

Jesus, who took charge of Portugal after the 2026 World Cup, previously worked with Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.

The coach has maintained that there was no fundamental crisis within the squad and has stressed that team rules apply equally to all players.

Jesus’ decision not to respond immediately to Ronaldo’s statement leaves the details of the dispute largely based on the accounts given by the two men.

Portugal remain unbeaten under Jesus in their Nations League matches this autumn as attention turns to how the coach and Ronaldo will handle the fallout from the latest disagreement.