Jorge Jesus Says He Had Not Read Ronaldo’s Statement

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus has said he had not read Cristiano Ronaldo’s lengthy public statement about their recent dispute when he was asked about it on Tuesday night.

Speaking to reporters, Jesus said he was watching Portugal’s Under-21 match instead of reading Ronaldo’s statement. “I didn’t read Cristiano’s statement, I was watching Portugal U21 game,” Jesus told reporters. “I will now have time to read it.”

Naija News gathered that Jesus made the comments hours after Ronaldo, 41, published a detailed account of the events that led to his departure from Portugal’s training camp last week. The Al Nassr forward accused his manager of breaking his word over two separate agreements during the international window.

Ronaldo claimed Jesus had promised him around 30 minutes against Norway in the UEFA Nations League but left him on the bench despite completing an extended warm-up. He also accused the coach of failing to make agreed public clarifications during a subsequent press conference.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he and Jesus had previously discussed a plan to manage his playing time. He added that a later meeting involving federation officials produced points the manager was expected to address publicly, but Ronaldo said Jesus did not reflect those agreements in his comments.

Ronaldo apologised to his teammates and supporters for the manner of his departure and accepted that he could face disciplinary action. He also left open the possibility of returning to the national team.

Jesus, who took charge of Portugal after the 2026 World Cup and previously worked with Ronaldo at Al Nassr, has maintained that there is no fundamental crisis within the squad and that team rules apply equally to every player.

Portugal remain unbeaten under Jesus in Nations League matches this autumn.