Sports

Jorge Jesus Agrees To Ronaldo Meeting As Portugal Seek To Resolve Dispute

Published October 4, 2026 at 5:53 PM

File photo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus.

Key Takeaways

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has agreed to meet Cristiano Ronaldo to settle their disagreement and stop the captain ending his international career early.
A Bola reported that the Portuguese Football Federation proposed mediation, and officials are waiting for Ronaldo to confirm he will join the talks.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s camp in Copenhagen on Wednesday and missed the four-two win over Denmark, while ex-Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal slammed Jesus’ handling.

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has agreed to meet Cristiano Ronaldo to resolve their disagreement and prevent the captain from ending his international career early.

Portuguese publication A Bola reported that Jesus accepted a mediation proposal from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), with federation officials now waiting for Ronaldo to confirm whether he will take part in the discussions.

Naija News reports that the move follows Ronaldo’s departure from Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen on Wednesday after a meeting with FPF president Pedro Proença. The 41-year-old later said he would reveal the circumstances surrounding his exit “at an appropriate moment”, but has not announced his retirement from international football.

Proença had spoken separately with Ronaldo and Jesus at Portugal’s accommodation in Malmö earlier on Wednesday. A Bola said the discussions took place calmly after an earlier exchange between the coach and captain, but Ronaldo subsequently left the camp and travelled to Madrid on a chartered aircraft.

Reuters reported that Jesus and Proença made a final attempt to persuade Ronaldo to remain with the squad, but the forward went ahead with his departure.

The disagreement emerged after Jesus left Ronaldo on the bench for Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway on September 27, despite allowing him to warm up during the second half. Jesus acknowledged that Ronaldo was unhappy but initially played down suggestions of a serious dispute.

Ronaldo was then absent as Portugal defeated Denmark 4-2 on Thursday, with João Cancelo, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha and João Félix scoring for Jesus’ side. The coach later described the Ronaldo situation as “a resolved matter” for the time being.

Former Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal has since criticised Jesus over his handling of the situation. Speaking on his stream, Vidal described the Portugal coach as “shameful and very bad” and argued that Jesus should have protected Ronaldo.

Author:

Ernest Victor

Victor Ernest Osong is a passionate communicator, teacher, poet, well-trained journalist, creative strategist, purpose-driven storyteller, and realist. With a strong foundation in writing, editing, content development, and leadership, he specializes in shaping narratives that inform, inspire, and ignite action. Email: [email protected]