Cristiano Ronaldo has endured difficult phases several times throughout his illustrious career, but what the Portuguese legend faces now is unprecedented.
Cristiano Ronaldo has endured difficult phases several times throughout his illustrious career, but what the Portuguese legend faces now is unprecedented.
One constant throughout Ronaldo’s career has been his ability to overcome setbacks and return in even more formidable form. However, with the twilight of his career approaching, it remains to be seen whether he can turn around a situation that threatens to overshadow his final chapter with Portugal.
Ronaldo had one last shot at the World Cup earlier this year, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup being his final appearance at the tournament by his own admission. But an underwhelming campaign from both the forward and his team saw Portugal crash out in the Round of 16 against eventual champions Spain, despite boasting one of the most promising squads among the 48 participating nations.
With the World Cup behind him, Ronaldo had hoped for a fresh start with Portugal in the UEFA Nations League. However, by the end of the international window earlier this month, the veteran forward had left the national squad amid a growing rift with coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo’s departure came after he was asked to warm up but remained an unused substitute against Norway on September 27, before learning that he would not start against Denmark on October 1.
The Portuguese superstar subsequently accused Jesus of going back on his word over giving him playing time in the Nations League. Nevertheless, he insisted that he had no intention of retiring from international football and would remain available once any punishment had been served.
“I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,” Ronaldo said, while acknowledging that his actions should be “punished” by the federation.
And punished he was.
However, Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca offered some encouragement last week, expressing his desire to see the national captain return.
“We are all very eager to have our captain back. The standard disciplinary process will run its course, and the relevant bodies will assess the situation independently,” Proenca said at an event.
His comments provided a positive indication that Ronaldo could return to the national colours after serving his suspension. However, the prospect of a comeback has become less certain following remarks from his sister, Elma Aveiro, who suggested that a return for the legendary forward was increasingly unlikely amid his reported fallout with Jesus.
Speaking at a book presentation last Thursday, the 53-year-old businesswoman offered a pessimistic assessment when asked whether her brother would return to represent Portugal.
“It’s more of a no than a yes,” she said.
Adding to the uncertainty is Portugal’s recent success without their captain. The team won all four of their Nations League matches and secured qualification for the quarterfinals with two games to spare, raising questions about whether Ronaldo’s absence has significantly affected the side.
Portugal are scheduled to host Denmark on November 14 before travelling to face Wales on November 17 in their final two Nations League Group A4 fixtures. Ronaldo is expected to miss both matches while serving his suspension.
The situation stands in stark contrast to that of Ronaldo’s long-time rival Lionel Messi, who has experienced the perfect conclusion to his international career.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, retired from international football around the same time Ronaldo found himself in a difficult position with Portugal. The Argentine, meanwhile, had the kind of farewell any player would hope for at the end of an illustrious international career.
Messi was given a dedicated farewell game and received an emotional send-off from fans, family members and teammates, some of whom were moved to tears.
Ronaldo, by contrast, finds himself facing an uncertain future with his national team. The all-time leading scorer with 981 career goals could now see his long-held ambition of scoring his unprecedented 1,000th goal in a Portugal shirt slip away, with his international career potentially nearing its end in circumstances far removed from the farewell enjoyed by his great rival.
