Cristiano Ronaldo said he is not ending his international career and intends to continue playing for Portugal despite walking out on the team last week amid a dispute with coach Jorge Jesus over "broken promises."
The striker released a lengthy statement Tuesday on Instagram, outlining the cause of the friction between the 41-year-old icon and his coach.
Ronaldo said Jesus told him he would play 30 minutes in Portugal's Nations League clash with Norway on Sept. 27 but never substituted him into the game after he warmed up. Ronaldo then left camp last Wednesday.
"The head coach had failed to keep his word," Ronaldo said. "I decided to leave the camp without waiting for any further broken promises. For me, the truth is still the most important thing in the relationship between people."
Ronaldo expressed regret for leaving the camp and said he should be held accountable.
"The consequence of this action of mine must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation," he added. "I believe the punishment should have no mitigating factors. I am not just any player."
However, Ronaldo said he wants to feature for the Selecao again.
"If I am physically fit, playing for my club, scoring goals, I hope, that after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team," Ronaldo said.
"I can promise all my fans, naturally and especially all the Portuguese people, that we will have one or more farewell matches; there will be time for that."
Ronaldo's statement came after reports indicated earlier Tuesday that he'd issued an ultimatum to the national team and wouldn't return as long as Jesus remained behind the bench.
The veteran's statement didn't mention an ultimatum, but he was upset that Jesus didn't deliver a "previously agreed-upon public apology" to clear the air after the Norway situation, sources told ESPN's Bruno Andrade.
After Portugal beat Norway in its reverse fixture Sunday, Jesus told reporters that he didn't have any issue with Ronaldo and the door was open for the veteran forward to return to the fold.
"I don't know what Cris will decide," Jesus said after Portugal’s victory, according to The Associated Press.
"To me, there was never an issue. There are non-negotiable principles for a coach, but since there were no issues regarding my authority, for me, if Cris wants to return, he will be eligible for the next call-up, as long as he is playing for Al-Nassr. It's up to him."
Ronaldo is Portugal's most-capped player and leading scorer with 146 goals in 234 appearances. He's also the top scorer in men's international soccer history, and is chasing down 1,000 career goals for club and country.
After appearing in a record sixth World Cup for Portugal this summer, the Al-Nassr forward said, "This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy."
