Jesus regrets Ronaldo’s Portugal retirement, saying he wanted him to stay

Portugal coach Jorge Jesus says he regrets Cristiano Ronaldo’s decision to retire from international football, saying he wanted the forward to stay with the national team but accepted that “there is no way back”.

Ronaldo announced his retirement on Thursday, ending a Portugal career of 234 appearances and 146 goals. His decision followed a dispute with Jesus: Ronaldo left the squad in late September, a day before a Nations League match against Denmark, and accused the coach of breaking his word twice.

Speaking to Portuguese broadcaster Canal 11, Jesus said he had asked Ronaldo to remain available. He praised the 41-year-old’s contribution, calling him an “exceptional” talent and a lasting figure in Portugal’s national team, people and history.

Jesus said he had a large portrait of Ronaldo hung in the Portuguese football federation’s offices so that young players and team-mates could see him as a role model.

The retirement reverses Ronaldo’s earlier stated intention to remain available for Portugal. In an earlier account of the dispute, he said he had left the squad because Jesus had broken two agreements; Jesus had said the door remained open to a return. Ronaldo has now announced that he will no longer play for the national team.