Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus said he had nothing to say before reading a social media statement from Cristiano Ronaldo after the veteran forward accused him of a breach of trust.
Jesus was questioned by television channel CMTV in Aroeira on Tuesday following Ronaldo's decision to publish a text explaining why he left the national team concentration last week.
The manager explained that he had been in Leiria watching Portugal's under-21 team secure a 2-0 victory against Czechia in a European Championship qualifier. Jesus said he was now going to read Ronaldo's statement and maintained that he had no immediate comment to offer.
The national team head coach is expected to provide a formal response to the player's statements in the coming days.
Ronaldo claims manager broke team agreements
Ronaldo released his statement on Tuesday to address the controversy surrounding his departure from the national team squad. Although the forward did not mention Jesus by name at any point in the text, he explicitly accused the manager of a breach of trust.
The captain stated that Jesus failed to keep agreements established between them inside the Portuguese national team setup. He singled out a press conference held after Portugal's UEFA Nations League match against Norway as the turning point in their relationship.
Ronaldo wrote that the manager's public demeanor after the Norway match contradicted everything discussed during a private meeting on the eve of the game. He added that he heard expressions and an aggressive attitude of authority that he did not deserve and that Jesus had never displayed in private.
Background to the national team dispute
Ronaldo is Portugal's all-time top goalscorer and most-capped player, having led his country to victory at the 2016 European Championship. The veteran attacker currently plays his club football in Saudi Arabia following a long career at top European clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.
Jesus is one of Portuguese football's most experienced managers, having built his career during successful domestic and international spells with Benfica, Sporting CP, Flamengo, and Al Hilal before taking charge of the Portugal national team.
Before returning to Aroeira, Jesus spent Tuesday afternoon at the Estádio Municipal de Leiria watching the nation's youth prospects. Portugal's under-21 team earned a 2-0 victory over Czechia to advance their qualification campaign for the European Under-21 Championship.
The Portuguese Football Federation has not commented on whether Ronaldo will return to future squad selections, while Jesus is expected to address the situation in full in the coming days.
