Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken out about his decision to leave the Portugal squad, saying that a promise made by the head coach had not been fulfilled and that he would pay the price for leaving the squad early.

In a long post on social media, Ronaldo spoke about the disagreement with the head coach and said that leaving the squad would have consequences.

Ronaldo Says He Was Asked to Stay

Ronaldo said he was persuaded to change his mind about retiring from international football after the 2026 World Cup by the President of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). He was also asked for his opinion on the current head coach and said he had taken the correct decision in appointing him.

The forward met the new head coach during his club’s pre-season campaign. Ronaldo said the coach had assured him that he was part of his plans and proposed a rotation policy.

Ronaldo said he refused an offer to stay in Portugal while the national team travelled to Norway and Denmark. As a team captain, he said it would be wrong to set a bad example by remaining in Portugal.

Dispute Over Playing Time

Ronaldo said he had agreed to play at Alvalade, but then later accepted a decision to substitute him without complaint. However, prior to the game in Norway, he was surprised to be asked if he could play for 30 minutes.

Even though it was not part of his recovery program and fitness plan, Ronaldo said he agreed to play and warmed up from half-time. However, Ronaldo said he was not called on to replace an injured teammate.

Ronaldo added that this was the second time the head coach had failed to honor a commitment to him. Ronaldo said another meeting had taken place where the head coach promised to clarify the situation publicly and move on.

However, Ronaldo said the situation was not resolved as he had hoped.

‘The Truth Is Still the Most Important’

Ronaldo said he decided to leave the camp rather than accept yet another broken promise.

‘For me, the truth continues to be the most important thing in the relationship between people,’ he wrote. ‘I would have accepted it calmly if you had told me that you did not want me any longer.’

Ronaldo apologized to his teammates for leaving the squad and to Portugal’s fans for any disappointment caused.

The footballer said he would suffer the consequences of his decision, adding that the fact that he was the captain of the team was an aggravating factor.

Ronaldo Rules Out Immediate Farewell

Despite the circumstances, Ronaldo rejected reports that he was about to retire from international football.

‘I have heard talk of farewells and the FPF wanted to give me that chance, but I promise there will be one or more farewell matches when the opportunity arises,’ he wrote.

Ronaldo said he still wanted to play for the national team and would continue to do so as long as he was physically able to do so.