Portugal banned Ronaldo for 30 days. The ban runs out before Portugal play again on 14 November.
Portugal suspended Cristiano Ronaldo for 30 days and fined him €255 for walking out of the camp in Copenhagen; the ban is up before Portugal's next match, and whether he plays again in Braga is Jorge Jesus's call.
Portugal's football federation suspended Cristiano Ronaldo for 30 days and fined him €255 on 19 October for walking out of the camp in Copenhagen. 12
He had served 19 of the 30 days when the ruling arrived, and the ban costs him no Portugal matches. 1 Portugal next play Denmark in Braga on 14 November (7.45pm local, 2.45pm ET, 11.45am PT), then Wales away on 17 November (7.45pm local, 2.45pm ET, 11.45am PT). 3
What the ruling found
The federation's disciplinary council found Ronaldo had intentionally committed an offence under Article 160(1) of its regulations. 2 Its file counts more than 30 team activities missed between 30 September and 4 October (travel, training, meals) and records that he told nobody at the federation or the squad. 4
On the drive to Copenhagen airport he called federation president Pedro Proença and said he was "not in the right frame of mind" to stay. 4 The Instagram post he published that day, promising to tell "all Portuguese people the truth" in due course, counted against him: a figure of his prominence should have been more careful about when and how he complained. 4
Why the 30 days got shorter
Ronaldo had asked to be punished without leniency. In his statement he said the federation should sanction him "without mitigating circumstances", and that his captaincy was "an aggravating factor". 4
His defence argued the other way, citing four seasons of clean discipline, his services to football, and a CV listing five Ballon d'Or awards, Euro 2016 and two Nations League titles. The council halved the sanction on those grounds, then halved it again for his acceptance of responsibility. 4
The call nobody has made
Portugal won all four games he missed and are already in March's quarter-finals. 56 Gonçalo Ramos scored in all three of his starts. 6
Jorge Jesus, who left him out against Norway, says the return is the player's decision. "If he wants to, he'll return to the national team," Jesus said. "Cris is the one who's going to decide." 6
Proença speaks of a "strong desire" to have him back. 1 Ronaldo, 41, has 146 goals in 234 caps. 1 He played for Al-Nassr on Tuesday, missing a penalty in a 1-0 win over Neom. 7 Whether he is in the Braga squad is a selection call.
Quote of the Day
"Cristiano should end his time in the national team the way he wants." — Jorge Jesus, 4 October 6
References
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