Benni McCarthy, the former Porto and South Africa forward, has publicly criticized Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus regarding his handling of Cristiano Ronaldo. McCarthy argued that Jesus owes his current coaching position to the 41-year-old forward and suggested that the manager failed to manage their public dispute appropriately. Speaking to SportyTV, McCarthy acknowledged that Ronaldo was not entirely blameless, yet maintained that the situation should have been handled with greater discretion. The former Manchester United assistant coach added.
The connection McCarthy highlighted is supported by Ronaldo himself, who previously confirmed that FPF president Proença consulted him regarding coaching candidates. Ronaldo admitted he had recommended Jesus as the ideal choice for the role. Neither the Portuguese Football Federation nor Jesus have issued a public response to McCarthy’s recent remarks regarding the matter.
Tensions surfaced following Portugal’s Nations League fixtures. After starting the 1-0 win against Wales, Ronaldo remained on the bench during the 2-1 victory over Norway on September 27. Jesus stated he had informed Ronaldo he would not play, but later requested he prepare for a 30-minute appearance during the match. Ronaldo later issued a statement on October 6, alleging that Jesus had reneged on their agreement and veered away from a pre-arranged script, describing the incident as an “absolute breakdown of trust.” He issued an apology to his teammates and the nation while anticipating disciplinary action. According to jesus, He had told Ronaldo he would not play in Oslo, then asked him on matchday whether he could manage 30 minutes as the game unfolded. Saying Jesus had promised him those minutes and then departed from an eight-point text the pair had agreed he would read to the media, ronaldo answered with a statement on 6 October.
On October 19, the FPF’s disciplinary section found the charges against Ronaldo proven under article 160 of its regulations. The player received a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine, which were reduced after authorities considered his clean disciplinary history and his admission of fault. With 19 days of the ban already served, the suspension is set to conclude on October 30. Consequently, Ronaldo will be eligible for selection in the upcoming Group A4 matches against Denmark in Braga on November 14 and Wales in Cardiff on November 17, with the official squad announcement expected on November 6. Reduced after it accepted mitigating factors including his disciplinary record and his confession, it imposed a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine.
