Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football following a reported fallout with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus.
The 41-year-old forward leaves the national team as Portugal’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 146 goals in 232 appearances. He also captained the country to victory at the 2016 European Championship.
Ronaldo’s retirement reportedly followed tensions with Jesus during the last international break.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star left Portugal’s training camp after being left out of the team’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway.
He reportedly headed straight to the dressing room at the final whistle and failed to join his teammates in applauding the travelling supporters in Oslo.
The Portuguese Football Federation subsequently suspended him from international duty and imposed a fine following the incident.
The disagreement reportedly escalated after Ronaldo accused Jesus of breaking a promise to introduce him as a substitute during the Norway encounter.
According to reports, Ronaldo had been told he would feature from the bench and had begun warming up before the coach allegedly changed his mind.
The incident reportedly triggered an explosive exchange between both men, further worsening their relationship and ultimately leading to Ronaldo’s decision to end his international career.