Jorge Jesus refuses to apologise to Ronaldo over Portugal row

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has rejected calls for an apology to Cristiano Ronaldo following their reported fallout over the forward’s omission from the starting line-up against Croatia.

The 72-year-old manager said he stands by his decision to leave Ronaldo on the bench for the entire 90 minutes during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League encounter, insisting there was nothing for which he needed to apologise.

Ronaldo reportedly left the Portugal camp following the decision, intensifying speculation about tensions between the veteran forward and the newly appointed coach.

Jesus, however, said he accepted full responsibility for his tactical choices and the outcome of the match, while dismissing suggestions that he owed Ronaldo an apology.

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“I take responsibility for the decision and for what happened,” Jesus said.

“But apologise for what? To whom? That is a lie. Apologise for what? What was there to apologise for?”

The Portuguese coach maintained that the most important issue was the team’s victory rather than the controversy surrounding Ronaldo’s absence from the pitch.

“What mattered was Portugal winning once again against one of the best national teams in Europe at the moment,” he added.

The comments are expected to fuel further debate over the relationship between Jesus and Ronaldo, particularly given the striker’s influential status within the Portugal squad.

Ronaldo remains one of Portugal’s most prominent players, but Jesus’ decision against Croatia has raised questions over whether the coach intends to manage the veteran differently as he seeks to balance experience with his tactical plans.

The dispute also comes at a sensitive point for Portugal, with expectations high for the national team and continued attention on Ronaldo’s role under Jesus.

Jesus’ firm stance suggests he has no intention of allowing the controversy to influence his tactical decisions, insisting that results on the pitch remain his primary responsibility.