Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest fallout with Portugal coach, Jorge Jesus, has added another chapter to the long-running story of Ronaldo relationships with his coaches.
Recall that Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen on Wednesday, September 30, after being left on the bench during the team’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway.
The 41-year-old had been expected to return to training ahead of Portugal’s next fixture, but his departure came shortly after Jesus addressed the situation publicly.
Jesus said Ronaldo had been unhappy after spending the match warming up without eventually being introduced.
“Ronaldo was angry with me, but as far as I’m concerned, that’s water under the bridge,” Jesus said.
The coach also insisted that he remained in charge of selection decisions, saying, “It won’t be Cristiano Ronaldo, or any other player, who changes my ideas as a coach. Never.”
Ronaldo, however, announced his departure from the camp on Instagram, saying the decision followed the coach’ press conference and a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.
“Following the national team manager’s press conference, and after a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo wrote.
He added, “In due course, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons behind my departure from the national team.”
The latest incident has revived memories of previous disagreements between Ronaldo and some of the biggest names in management.
Mourinho: The tactical criticism
Ronaldo’s relationship with José Mourinho at Real Madrid was highly successful on the pitch, but it became strained towards the end of Mourinho’s spell at the club.
Mourinho later explained that his main problem with Ronaldo came when he criticised the forward’s tactical decisions and felt the player did not respond well to the criticism.
“I had only one problem with him, very simple, very basic,” Mourinho said in 2013.
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He added that Ronaldo did not take the criticism well because “maybe he thinks he knows everything”.
Despite the disagreement, Mourinho also acknowledged Ronaldo’s contribution during their time together, describing his three seasons with the player as “fantastic”.
The relationship eventually ended with Mourinho leaving Madrid in 2013.
Santos: The World Cup controversy
Ronaldo’s relationship with Fernando Santos also came under intense pressure during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The first major incident came after Ronaldo was substituted during Portugal’s 2-1 defeat to South Korea.
Santos later admitted that he was unhappy with Ronaldo’s reaction after watching footage of the incident.
“Have I already watched the footage? Yes. I didn’t like it. Didn’t like it at all,” Santos said.
Ronaldo explained that his reaction was linked to comments from South Korea’s Cho Gue-sung as he left the pitch.
“What happened was that before my departure, the player from Korea told me to leave the pitch quickly and I told him to shut up,” Ronaldo said.
The tension increased when Santos subsequently dropped Ronaldo to the bench for Portugal’s last-16 match against Switzerland.
Santos said he had personally informed Ronaldo of the decision and explained that he wanted to use him later in the game.
Ronaldo, according to Santos, was unhappy with the decision. “He said: ‘Do you really think it’s a good idea?’” Santos recalled.
However, Santos insisted that the conversation was normal and that Ronaldo never told him he wanted to leave the national team.
Rangnick: The substitution row
Ronaldo’s brief relationship with Ralf Rangnick at Manchester United produced another memorable confrontation over a substitution.
During United’s 3-1 victory over Brentford in January 2022, Rangnick replaced Ronaldo with the score at 2-0.
The Portuguese forward was visibly unhappy and questioned the manager immediately after coming off.
Rangnick later revealed exactly what Ronaldo had asked him. “He asked: ‘Why me, why have you taken me off?’” Rangnick said.
The German explained that he had changed the system to protect United’s lead and believed the decision was in the best interests of the team. Rangnick also acknowledged Ronaldo’s desire to remain on the pitch but insisted he had no personal problem with the forward.
“I have no issues whatsoever with Cristiano,” he said.
Unlike the later dispute with Ten Hag, the disagreement with Rangnick did not develop into a major breakdown between the pair.
Ten Hag: The Manchester United breakdown
The most serious club-level confrontation came later in 2022 under Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur and left the stadium before the final whistle. Ten Hag subsequently left him out of the squad for Manchester United’s next Premier League match.
The dispute eventually exploded when Ronaldo gave a television interview to Piers Morgan.
Asked about his relationship with Ten Hag, Ronaldo delivered a blunt response.
“I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me,” he said.
Ronaldo also claimed that he felt betrayed by people within the club. “Yes, I felt betrayed,” he said.
The interview effectively ended his second spell at Manchester United, with the club announcing shortly afterwards that Ronaldo’s contract had been terminated by mutual agreement.
The episode became one of the most public disputes between a superstar player and his manager in recent football history.
Jorge Jesus: The latest chapter
The latest disagreement with Jorge Jesus has similarities to the previous incidents, particularly the issue of Ronaldo’s role and reaction to being left out.
Ronaldo started Portugal’s previous match against Wales but was left on the bench against Norway. Jesus said he had planned to use him but ultimately decided against making the substitution.
The decision reportedly frustrated Ronaldo, who later trained separately from the squad despite not being injured.
Jesus subsequently insisted that there had been no major incident and defended his authority as Portugal coach.
“He didn’t refuse. He’s going to train today,” Jesus said before Ronaldo left the camp.
Jesus also said Ronaldo had effectively left the decision about his involvement to the coach, recalling the player’s words: “If you want me to play, I’ll play. If you want me to go to the stands, I’ll go.”
But Ronaldo’s subsequent departure showed that the matter had not been completely settled, as in his statement, the Portugal captain did not directly attack Jesus but made clear that he intended to explain his decision later.
The episode has therefore raised questions about whether Ronaldo’s international career under Jesus can continue smoothly.
For now, Jesus has sought to move on from the controversy, insisting that the Portugal squad remains united.
“There’s nothing that should stop the group from being with me,” Jesus said after Ronaldo’s departure.
From Mourinho and Santos to Rangnick and Ten Hag, Ronaldo’s career has produced several moments when his strong personality and desire to remain on the pitch have collided with managerial authority.
The latest dispute with Jesus shows that, even at 41, Ronaldo remains at the centre of decisions about his role, and disagreements over those decisions can still make headlines.
The latest disagreement could also raise questions over Ronaldo’s future with the national team, especially if issues over his role continue.
While there has been no indication that the 41-year-old plans to quit international football, further tension with Jesus could make his involvement less certain.
How both parties manage the situation in the coming games could determine whether Ronaldo remains an important part of Portugal’s plans.
