‘Zero!’—Cristiano Ronaldo Revelation Made by Portugal Boss After Shock Retirement

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus has insisted that he would change nothing—“Zero!” as he shouted—about the turn of events that preceded Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement, which even came as a surprise to the coach.

Ronaldo caught many unaware on Thursday when he published a five-minute video announcing his immediate retirement from the Portugal national team. The country’s all-time appearance maker and top scorer had endured a tumultuous previous international break in which he openly clashed with Jesus, storming back to Saudi Arabia halfway through the four fixtures.

The incredibly lengthy statement which followed Ronaldo’s exit last month claimed that there would be time for “one or more farewell matches” as retirement was seemingly taken off the table. Portugal dutifully gave their star man the lowest fine possible and suspended him during a period with no international fixtures ahead of what many had anticipated to be his return in November. Even Jesus had been preparing to call up Ronaldo on Friday before Thursday’s statement.

“Of course, I did think about his return; I considered calling him up and having a conversation with him,” Jesus told assembled media when announcing his roster this week. “But I have to respect his decision. He decided it was time to step away from the national team—something that was bound to happen sooner or later.”

Jesus has been reluctant to go into many details about Ronaldo’s explanation for his Portugal exit. The former captain claimed that his manager had changed the demands for his playing time, made him warm up without subbing him on and refused to hit the talking points drawn up for him in the subsequent press conference. One month on, Jesus showed absolutely no remorse.

“I wouldn’t change a thing. Zero!” Jesus stressed, cutting the air with a pair of pinched fingers to really ram the point home. “Because I made a coach’s decision—a decision made with my team, the Portuguese team, in mind. I am well aware that I did nothing to cause this to happen.”

“Perhaps I rushed things,” Jesus would add, “but not because of me. He had it in his mind that—regardless of how many times he was called up—this was bound to happen. It was always going to happen during my tenure. I don’t feel guilty about anything regarding his departure. I respect his decision, and, by the same token, his legacy cannot be overlooked.”

“There are no hard feelings whatsoever,” the 72-year-old claimed. “Why? Because all my decisions were made with the team in mind. As a coach, I have always championed what was best for the team. I am at peace with my decision.”