“I haven’t read Ronaldo’s statement yet,” says Portugal coach

Portugal coach Jorge Jesus has said he has not yet read Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest statement detailing the circumstances surrounding his departure from the national team camp.

Ronaldo issued a lengthy statement on Tuesday in which he accused Jesus of breaking his word on two occasions. The Portugal captain said the dispute began after the coach failed to follow an agreed plan concerning his playing time during the Nations League fixtures against Norway and Denmark.

According to Ronaldo, Jesus had initially agreed that he would not play in the two matches as part of a plan to manage his fitness. However, the coach later told him he might be used against Norway. Ronaldo warmed up during the match but was ultimately not brought on.

Ronaldo said a subsequent meeting involving Jesus, his adviser Tiago Craveiro and Al-Nassr sporting director Simão Coutinho resulted in an agreement on eight points that Jesus would publicly clarify at his next press conference. Ronaldo claimed the coach failed to make the agreed clarifications, which he described as the second time Jesus had broken his word.

The 41-year-old said he subsequently decided to leave Portugal's training camp rather than wait for what he regarded as another breach of trust. He nevertheless accepted responsibility for his actions and said he would remain available for Portugal after serving any punishment imposed by the Portuguese Football Federation.

Jesus has previously denied that there was a dispute between the pair. During the controversy, he said Ronaldo's absence from Portugal's first two matches had been discussed with the player and formed part of a plan based on his physical condition.

Following Portugal's recent Nations League victory, Jesus also left the door open for Ronaldo's return to the national team, saying he did not know what would happen regarding the forward's future with the Seleção.

The latest development leaves the relationship between Portugal's coach and its most-capped player under renewed scrutiny. Ronaldo remains Portugal's record goalscorer and has made clear that he wants to continue representing his country despite the dispute.

Jesus's decision to respond after reading Ronaldo's statement could provide further details about the conflicting accounts of what was agreed between the two men.