Cristiano Ronaldo has been provisionally suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation after walking out of the national team’s training camp last week following a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus, deepening one of the most dramatic crises of his international career.

The federation’s non-professional section decided on October 9 to open disciplinary proceedings against the 41-year-old forward. Its statement confirmed that a preventive suspension had been determined and that the process would be treated as urgent. The suspension is provisional, with a final verdict still awaited.

Walkout followed bench snub and Jesus tiff

Ronaldo left the Nations League camp after being named an unused substitute in Portugal’s win over Norway and then learning he would not start the following match against Denmark. Reports said the departure followed a tiff with Jesus, who recently took over the national team.

After leaving, Ronaldo published a six-slide, nearly 2,000-word clarification on Instagram on Tuesday night. In it, he apologised to his teammates and the Portuguese people, but said that for him, a broken promise has a defining impact.

Remarkably, the striker also suggested the federation should punish him for leaving the camp. “I believe the punishment should not be reduced. I have already apologised, but I know that actions have consequences,” he wrote.

Federation takes him at his word

On Saturday, the federation did exactly that. The statement, reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano, cited disciplinary proceedings opened “with the purpose of the investigation of any disciplinary relevance of the facts participated on October 7”.

A summer of second thoughts

The episode comes after a turbulent few months. Ronaldo had earlier endorsed his former Al-Nassr manager Jesus as the right choice to lead Portugal, and revealed he had come close to retiring from international football after Portugal’s round-of-16 exit at this summer’s World Cup.

He said he had even drafted a farewell letter to supporters, but federation president Pedro Proenca persuaded him to reconsider during the flight home from the United States.

For now, one of football’s greatest international careers hangs in an uneasy pause, waiting on a verdict from Lisbon.