'His mistake was not leaving sooner' - Romario backs Ronaldo in Jorge Jesus row

The ongoing tension between Ronaldo and Jesus erupted during Portugal's Nations League camp after the 41-year-old captain was left on the bench against Norway despite warming up. Following a private meeting, Ronaldo left the camp ahead of the Denmark game, accusing Jesus of twice breaking his word and acting aggressively in public. Although he later apologised to his teammates and fans, Jesus defended his right to select his team. The dispute has now sent shockwaves through the footballing world, prompting one of the game's greatest ever finishers to weigh in. Romario, the 1994 World Cup winner, spoke openly during an appearance on the Charla Podcast, where he offered his full support to the Portuguese captain.

Speaking about the character of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Romario was quick to praise his professionalism and direct nature. 'Cristiano seems a very objective person,' he explained while discussing the rift. While Romario admitted to having a cordial past with the current Portugal boss, stating, 'I like Jorge Jesus. I had a relationship with him when he coached Flamengo. I met him five or six times and he was always a great person,' he did not let that friendship cloud his judgment regarding the current dispute.

The legendary Brazilian forward went on to justify why Ronaldo chose to leave the Portugal training camp so abruptly. Ronaldo had featured in Portugal's 1-0 win over Wales in the opening game, starting the match before being substituted. Romario argued that a player of Ronaldo's stature should not have to endure repetitive instances of public disrespect. 'They say he left the national team. Of course. He already went through a humiliation once. Why was he going to go through a second?' Romario questioned, highlighting why he understood the Portuguese captain's decision.

Romario further elaborated that the conflict was exacerbated by Jesus failing to follow through on specific media arrangements. The Brazilian claimed that there were pre-arranged points for the coach to address during his press duties, which were ultimately ignored. 'They had agreed on some things for him to say in the press conference, and he said absolutely nothing. According to Ronaldo, he was arrogant and left Cristiano exposed,' the 60-year-old added during the interview.

For Romario, the feeling of being devalued within the squad was the final straw for the former Manchester United and Real Madrid icon. He believes that once a player feels they no longer hold relevance in the eyes of the management, there is little point in remaining in that environment. 'In those circumstances, he felt like a discredited person, like someone who no longer had any relevance, and that's why he left. I would have done exactly the same thing,' Romario admitted.

Ronaldo has made 234 appearances for Portugal, scoring 146 goals, and boasts an illustrious international record. He has helped his country win the UEFA Euro 2016 title and two UEFA Nations League trophies, further cementing his status as one of the most decorated players in Portugal's history.

In a characteristically blunt conclusion, Romario insisted that Ronaldo's only real failure was not being even more aggressive in his dismissal of the manager's authority. He argued that the relationship had soured to such a degree that a clean, sharp break was the only logical solution. 'First of all, I would have slammed the door and left. His mistake was not leaving. His mistake was not telling that guy to go to hell sooner,' he concluded with his trademark lack of filters.