Ronaldo’s Return and Suspension

Cristiano Ronaldo made his club comeback on Friday, scoring a goal, but he might be sidelined from the national team for some time.

On Saturday, the Portuguese Football Federation suspended Ronaldo amid “disciplinary proceedings.” This followed his decision to leave the national camp after a disagreement with manager Jorge Jesus concerning his playing time in last weekend’s Nations League match against Norway.

The federation released a statement saying, “Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, following a decision by the Non-Professional Section on October 9, 2026,” as reported by the Associated Press.

The 41-year-old forward expressed regret to his teammates and fans, admitting he deserved the consequences for leaving the team unexpectedly.

“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 shared on social media earlier in the week.

Despite the suspension, he returned to his club, Al-Nassr FC in the Saudi Pro League, and scored during their 3-0 victory over Diriyah.

With this goal, Ronaldo tallies his record-extending 980th goal for club and country—49 more than Lionel Messi’s overall total.

The specifics of his suspension remain unclear, but according to the FPF’s disciplinary guidelines, any player who “abandons or fails to appear” without justification at a practice or match could face a suspension ranging from one to six months.

Looking ahead, Portugal’s next UEFA Nations League match is scheduled against Denmark in mid-November.