Cristiano Ronaldo’s walkout in Portugal divides a nation as Jorge Jesus asserts his control | Cristiano Ronaldo

TThe drama surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo and the national team has naturally become the biggest story here in Portugal. He dominated the Wednesday night news and made the front page of virtually every major newspaper. For some, Ronaldo was right to leave the team a few days after spending half an hour warming up against Norway without being provoked by an apparent provocation from Jorge Jesus. For others, the striker’s behavior was intolerable and his departure was only a matter of time, especially when he came face to face with such a determined head coach.

Ronaldo has promised to tell his side of the story soon, and Jesus will speak on Thursday evening after the Nations League match in Denmark. A confrontation between these two immense personalities was brewing in the background. Jesus was inevitably asked during his first press conference with the team in July how his relationship with Ronaldo would work. Jesus, who coached Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, responded categorically.

“Cris will never be a problem for the national team or for me,” he said, insisting he had mastered Ronaldo’s temper. The harmony between coach and player did not last long.

In Portugal, the reaction inevitably split into two camps. In many ways, this is a repeat of the debate over Ronaldo’s automatic place in the starting XI at this summer’s World Cup and Roberto Martínez’s decision to keep the captain on the pitch for a full 90 minutes in all but one of five matches – although there is no obvious tactical or physical explanation for this. Even when Ronaldo came off in the round of 16 against Croatia, it was only in the 81st minute.

Ronaldo’s fans strongly support him and fiercely defend him on social media. A large part of the general public, however, believes that the player has turned his back on the national team. This is the message displayed in large letters on the front page of O Jogo, one of Portugal’s main sports newspapers.

In the Portuguese media, most newspapers and commentators sided with the view that Ronaldo behaved selfishly. There are, however, voices – notably in newspapers and television channels in which Ronaldo is a shareholder – who have turned their criticism towards Jesus, accusing him of ingratitude and of going back on his word in an indefensible way.

But what really caused the controversy? According to Jesus, he and Ronaldo had agreed verbally that the 41-year-old would not start against Norway last Sunday, three days after playing 67 minutes against Wales in the manager’s first match, but would come on as a substitute. During Portugal’s 2-1 win, those plans changed: Ronaldo remained an unused substitute, with Jesus making the decision for tactical reasons. Ronaldo reportedly considered the incident a humiliation.

The first signs of the rift appeared immediately after the final whistle, when Ronaldo left the pitch and did not join his teammates as they greeted their supporters in Oslo. Ronaldo’s frustration with Jesus reportedly reached astronomical levels during the manager’s press conference on Wednesday.

When asked about keeping Ronaldo on the bench, Jesus asserted absolute control, essentially making it clear that Ronaldo was not leading the team and would not be able to change or influence tactics. It was a clear message to Ronaldo – and to the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF): the coach is in charge.

“I can promise whatever I want,” the 72-year-old said. “I am the coach and I told the player that he would not play. I told him that I would put him on the bench and that if I needed him for 30 minutes, he would play. But I saw the game differently, so he did not come in. It will not be Cristiano, nor any other player, who will change my ideas as a coach. Ever. Neither him nor anyone else. Not even a president. Never. Zero.

Jesus also declared his intention to start Gonçalo Ramos rather than Ronaldo in Monday’s match.

What happened next is what everyone saw. Ronaldo abruptly left the team hotel, boarded a plane and posted on social media, promising to reveal the truth soon.

Some believe there has been a decline in Ronaldo’s communication since he parted ways almost four years ago with agent Jorge Mendes after giving an interview to Piers Morgan that sparked his departure from Manchester United. The friendship and family ties between Ronaldo and Mendes would remain intact, but the player is managed by a team he put together himself. Some wonder if he’s surrounded by too many yes-men, without enough people willing or able to tell him when something might create a negative image.

Once again, the narrative around the Portugal national team is dominated by the controversy surrounding Ronaldo. He risks a suspension of one to six months from the FPF, as well as a fine, for violation of its disciplinary code.

In the absence of testimonies from the two men, the rumors spread like wildfire. Some publications claim that Ronaldo will never return to the national team. After 234 appearances over the last 23 years and 146 goals, is this how Ronaldo will say goodbye to his country?