Cristiano Ronaldo risks six-month ban after leaving Portugal training in Denmark
Cristiano Ronaldo risks a suspension of up to six months after walking out of Portugal’s national team training in Denmark on Wednesday following a confrontation with head coach Jorge Jesus, and subsequently met with FPF president Pedro Proença.
The departure followed a heated exchange with Jorge Jesus that came after Jesus left Ronaldo as an unused replacement in the match against Norway and reiterated his selection decision during a pre-match briefing in Copenhagen. Ronaldo skipped Wednesday’s session at Parken Stadium in the aftermath of the manager’s comments; he had also sat out Tuesday’s training in Sweden and was omitted from Thursday’s matchday squad.
According to ESPN, the FPF disciplinary standards address unauthorised absences from international service as follows: “Any player who, having been duly called up, abandons or fails to attend training, a match, or any activity of the national teams or related to the sporting representation of the FPF or Portugal without justification, shall be sanctioned with a suspension of one to six months and, accessorily if a professional player, a fine between 500 and 1,000 euros.”
Ronaldo had played in Portugal’s match against Wales but, the report says, he "had a difficult night after squandering many huge chances." The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had earlier revealed that he pondered retiring following his dismal FIFA World Cup 2026 performance.
The article states the incident was tied to his failure to provide a reason for abandoning team training and to his feud with manager Jorge Jesus. After leaving the training ground, Ronaldo met with FPF president Pedro Proença, according to the report.
Under the federation’s disciplinary framework cited by ESPN, an experienced international who abandons duty without justification faces both a suspension and a possible fine; the specified suspension range is one to six months and the fine range is between 500 and 1,000 euros.
If the FPF enforces those rules in this case, Ronaldo could be suspended for between one and six months and, if treated as a professional player under the rules, fined between 500 and 1,000 euros.
