Portugal Fallout: Jorge Jesus Insists He Has No Regrets Over Ronaldo Treatment

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has insisted that he would not change anything about how he handled his recent fallout with Cristiano Ronaldo.

The disagreement followed Jesus’ decision to leave the 41-year-old forward on the bench for the entire 90 minutes of Portugal’s UEFA Nations League encounter against Croatia in October.

Ronaldo subsequently left the national team camp and was handed a suspension and fine by the Portuguese Football Federation. Although he was eligible for the November fixtures, the Al-Nassr captain announced his retirement from international football on Thursday.

Reacting to the controversy, Jesus maintained that his decision was based on the interests of the team and the Portuguese national side, insisting that he had done nothing to cause the situation.

“I wouldn’t change anything, absolutely nothing. I made a decision as a coach, putting the interests of my team and the Portuguese national team first,” Jesus said.

The coach added that he remained convinced he had acted correctly, despite the fallout that ultimately preceded Ronaldo’s decision to end his international career.