On Wednesday night at the Etihad, Vitinha stopped in the tunnel for TNT Sports Brasil minutes after curling in PSG’s third goal in a 4-2 win over Manchester City. Pressed on the standoff between Ronaldo and Jesus, he did not duck the question.
“It was a chaotic international break. Full of emotions. On my end, I just hope everything resolves for the best. That he returns and everything turns out fine. The truth is that’s what all of us want. I hope he comes back and everything gets resolved.”
Few Portugal teammates have spoken publicly since Ronaldo walked out of the camp late last month.
What triggered the walkout
The split began in Oslo on 27 September. Ronaldo warmed up for 30 minutes expecting to come on in Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League win over Norway, but Jesus never called his number. Three days later, after Jesus told a news conference the captain would again be benched for Denmark, Ronaldo left the camp in Copenhagen.
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Portugal went on to beat Denmark 4-2 the next night without him.
In a statement published on 6 October, Ronaldo gave his version. He said Jesus had privately promised not to criticize him in public, then said the opposite from the podium.
“The coach had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said in the statement.
He apologized to his teammates for leaving, and to the Portuguese public, before accepting that the federation would decide what came next.
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The 20-day ban
The Portuguese Football Federation opened disciplinary proceedings on 9 October and placed Ronaldo under a non-automatic preventive suspension while the case is heard. Under Article 40-A of the federation’s disciplinary code, the forward is banned for 20 days, with the measure due to end on 30 October, in time, in principle, for the national team’s November window.
The investigation itself could still carry heavier consequences. Any player who leaves a national team activity without justification faces between one and six months out, plus a fine, under federation rules.
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