Cristiano Ronaldo received a 30-day suspension and a financial penalty of 255 euros for his arbitrary departure from the camp of the national team of Portugal. The decision is the Disciplinary Council of the Portuguese Football Federation and comes after a serious conflict between the striker and coach Jorge Jesus.
The sanction is described in an extensive 28-page document, in which the federation sets out the reasons for the disciplinary measures taken. According to the announced information, the punishment is counted from September 30 - the day the 41-year-old footballer left the team's training camp in Denmark.
Despite the imposed penalty, Ronaldo should be able to participate in Portugal's next matches in the League of Nations next month. The national team's schedule includes matches against Denmark and Wales, and the final decision on his possible participation will depend on the coach and whether the striker will receive a call-up.
The conflict came after tension over the role of the Portuguese star in the squad. Ronaldo's dissatisfaction intensified after he remained on the bench in the 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo. According to the player, he was previously promised playing time, but at the last minute the coach changed his plans.
The five-time winner of the “Golden Ball“ took the situation as a breach of promise and accused Jorge Jesus of undermining the trust between them. However, the coach denied that there was such an agreement, with the two sides presenting radically different versions of what happened.
The subsequent departure from the camp led to an expected disciplinary reaction from the football authorities. However, what attracted the most attention was not so much the length of the punishment as the extremely low amount of the financial sanction compared to the income of the Portuguese striker.
The fine of 255 euros quickly became a subject of jokes and comments in football circles. The reason is that the amount is practically insignificant compared to the huge income that Ronaldo receives from his contract with Al Nassr and from his other commercial commitments.
According to calculations made on the basis of his remuneration at the Saudi club, the striker can cover the fine in only about 39 seconds. Thus, the financial part of the punishment seems rather symbolic for one of the highest-paid sports stars in the world.
The scale of his income is also emphasized by the forecasts of “Forbes“ magazine. According to the data, Ronaldo's total salary income in 2026 is expected to reach nearly 270 million euros.
The case has once again put the issue of discipline in national teams and the relationship between star players and coaching staffs on the agenda. Although the fine is insignificant in terms of Ronaldo's financial capabilities, the 30-day ban shows that leaving camp without permission can lead to official consequences regardless of the player's status.
It remains to be seen how the relationship between the Portuguese superstar and Jorge Jesus will develop and whether the conflict will affect the striker's future participation in the national team.