"I must be punished": Ronaldo awaits Portugal federation verdict over camp walkout

Cristiano Ronaldo has said he deserves to be punished for leaving Portugal’s national team camp after a dispute with coach Jorge Jesus, as reports say the federation’s disciplinary rules have already triggered an automatic ban.

Cristiano Ronaldo is waiting to learn how long he will be sidelined from Portugal’s national team after admitting he was wrong to walk out of the squad. “The consequences of this action must be assessed and I must be punished for them,” the 41-year-old said in a statement, adding that he was “aware that there should be no mitigating circumstances for the punishment.”

Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Portugal (file photo)

“The manager had broken his word”

Ronaldo left the camp on Oct. 1 after warming up from halftime during Portugal’s Nations League match against Norway without being brought on. He accused Jesus of breaking his word to him for a second time, saying an eight-point text in which the coach would acknowledge that asking him to warm up without using him had been a mistake was never made public. Jesus denied any such agreement but said the door remained open for Ronaldo’s return.

Cristiano Ronaldo at a Portuguese Football Federation news conference (file photo)

According to Britain’s Mirror, the federation’s regulations triggered a suspension automatically, with the disciplinary council to decide on a length of one to six months. “I read the statement and now I am doing my job,” Jesus said.