"Don't wait for me, my dear..." - Ronaldo does not want to return to the national team

"Don't wait for me, my dear..." - Ronaldo does not want to return to the national team

Cristiano Ronaldo "prefers not to be called up" for the Portuguese national team's upcoming matches, according to a CNN Portugal journalist.

According to him, Ronaldo is aggrieved by the leadership of the country's football federation. He considers that he was "treated unfairly," "feels betrayed," and "firmly believes that the truth is on his side."

The conflict between the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and Cristiano Ronaldo became public in late September. On the last day of the month, the 41-year-old forward unexpectedly left the team headquarters during the national team training camp. Ronaldo thus expressed his dissatisfaction with what happened during the match against Norway. This match could have been the player's 235th appearance for the national team. However, the team captain remained on the bench. In the second half, he warmed up on the sidelines for a long time, but was not brought on as a substitute.

The absence of Ronaldo, who has not been able to bring much benefit to the national team recently, did not have a negative impact on the Portuguese. Portugal won all four of their matches in the Nations League.

Shortly after, FPF President Pedro Proença and head coach Jorge Jesus returned to this topic, which had become even more interesting than football itself. Stating that they were ready for a compromise, they agreed to hold negotiations with the star player.

On October 19, the punishment announced by the FPF was another proof that Portuguese football officials are treating their legend extremely leniently. Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended from the national team for 30 days for unauthorized departure from the team camp. This was the shortest period that could be imposed under the rules. Furthermore, the suspension period was to be calculated from the day the violation was committed — September 30. This meant that Ronaldo was not actually suspended from the national team, as Portugal will play its next matches on November 14 and 17 against Denmark and Wales. In addition, the FPF fined the player 255 euros. Considering Ronaldo's income (the player earns nearly 4 million euros a week at Al-Nassr), this sum is laughable. Such a light punishment became a subject of jokes and mockery in the media.

Another aspect caused particular laughter: according to the FPF's 29-page decision, Cristiano Ronaldo asked to take into account his achievements in football as a mitigating circumstance and even provided a "copy of his resume." The disciplinary committee took into account his "contribution to the development of football" and the fact that he "showed remorse" as mitigating factors.