Ronaldo handed 30-day suspension for walking out on Portugal national team

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for 30 days and fined 255 euros ($286) for walking out on the national team during the recent international break. The punishment handed down by the Portugal Football Federation (FPF) on Monday (October 19) is the minimum stipulated suspension for the actions under the federation's regulations. Ronaldo's suspension is counted from the day of his walking out, October 1, which means he has already served 19 days of his suspension, which will be completed on October 30. Portugal will next play an international match on November 14 against Denmark before facing Wales on November 17, and Ronaldo will be available for selection for both.

Why Ronaldo Was Suspended by Portugal

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star walked out from the national team camp after falling out with national team manager Jorge Jesus. The footballer was unhappy after being asked to warm up as a substitute against Norway in September in the Nations League and then not being given any playing time. He then left the squad after learning that he would not play against Denmark on October 1.

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In a statement issued after the incident, Ronaldo accused Jesus of breaking his word, but showed remorse toward the supporters and reaffirmed his commitment to playing for Portugal.

Ronaldo, who has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award five times, is Portugal's highest goalscorer (146) and has played the most matches (234) of any player in international football.

How Did Portugal Perform Without Ronaldo?

Ronaldo's absence didn't affect Portugal too much, as they won all four matches without him and qualified for the Nations League quarterfinals with two matches left.

After the announcement of the suspension, Ronaldo did not directly react to it but posted a picture of himself preparing to train with his Saudi club, Al Nassr, with the caption, "Putting in the work".