Breaking: Ronaldo confirms he will continue playing for Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that he has no plans to retire from international football, saying he will remain available for Portugal after serving his suspension.

Ronaldo made the statement while explaining what happened during Portugal’s latest national team camp, where a disagreement with the coach led to his departure.

The Portugal captain said the president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) asked him after the World Cup to reconsider his decision to leave the national team. He also said the FPF president asked for his opinion about the appointment of the current coach.

Ronaldo said he supported the coach’s appointment after the coach told him in August that he would play in both the first and final matches of the international camp.

The coach later suggested that Ronaldo skip Portugal’s away trips, but the captain rejected the idea because he believed he needed to remain with the squad.

Ronaldo said the coach asked him on the day of Portugal’s match against Norway if he could play for 30 minutes. He agreed, even though the coach had not included the plan in their original agreement.

“I warmed up from half-time and was never called upon. He had broken his word,” Ronaldo said.

The Portugal captain admitted that he made a mistake by failing to greet the fans after the match and apologised for his actions.

Ronaldo said he and the coach later discussed the incident in the presence of Simão Coutinho. According to Ronaldo, they agreed that the coach would explain to the media that the decision came from him and that Ronaldo never asked for playing time.

However, Ronaldo said the coach did not follow that agreement during the subsequent press conference.

“I heard an aggression I did not deserve. It was the second time he broke his word,” he said.

Ronaldo stressed that he had never interfered with technical decisions during his nearly 25-year international career. However, he said he could not remain in a situation where the coach repeatedly broke agreements.

The veteran forward also accepted responsibility for leaving the camp and apologised to his teammates. He said he expected the FPF to punish him without considering mitigating circumstances because he served as the team captain.

Despite the dispute, Ronaldo rejected the idea of a farewell appearance and insisted that he wants to continue competing for Portugal.

“The national team, for me, means competing,” he said.

Ronaldo also recalled how he stayed with Portugal after his father died until the team played its next match. He said he made that decision because of his commitment to the country.

The forward then made his plans clear, saying he will return to the national team when he becomes available.

“If I’m fit, after my suspension, I’ll be available, as always, to compete and win for Portugal.”

“This is the absolute truth,” Ronaldo added.