The Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has been fined €255 and given a 30-day suspension by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after he left the national team’s camp amid a disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus.
On Monday, October 19, the federation’s Disciplinary Council announced the sanctions, which came after an investigation into the 41-year-old forward’s departure from the squad in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 30.
In its ruling, the Disciplinary Council said it had upheld the charge against Ronaldo, finding him guilty of an intentional disciplinary offense under Article 160(1) of its disciplinary regulations.
According to BEIN, Talk Sports, on Monday, the ruling stated that Ronaldo received “a 30-day suspension” and a “fine of €255.”
Ronaldo left the camp before Portugal’s Nations League match against Denmark after a disagreement with Jesus over his role in the team.
The dispute came after Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway on September 27, a match in which Ronaldo warmed up but remained an unused substitute.
As reported by the Guardian, Ronaldo said Jesus had broken his word about his playing time.
The forward later apologized to supporters and acknowledged that he had left the camp while saying he was willing to accept any punishment the federation imposed.
The disciplinary decision does not specify which matches or activities the 30-day suspension would affect, nor whether the period of his provisional suspension would count towards the final sanction.
Portugal are set to face Denmark on November 14, and whether Ronaldo is available for selection depends on how the suspension is applied and on the national team’s decisions.
Meanwhile, FPF president Pedro Proença has publicly backed the captain, calling him one of the most important figures in Portuguese football.
“We are in the home of the greatest asset Portuguese football has ever produced: Cristiano Ronaldo, our captain,” Proença said, as quoted by ESPN.
“Our captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, is one of our key pieces,” he added.
