The dispute stems from Jesus' decision to leave Ronaldo on the bench throughout a 2-1 Nations League win over Norway, despite the forward warming up for 30 minutes with the understanding he would play. Feeling betrayed, Ronaldo released a statement on October 6 detailing their private discussions and claiming the manager broke his word twice, including a promised clarification in a post-match press conference. That frustration saw him walk out of the team's training camp in Copenhagen ahead of their clash against Denmark.
Despite a subsequent apology to his team-mates, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) officially placed Ronaldo under provisional suspension on October 9, treating the disciplinary case as an urgent matter. Under federation rules, players who fail to appear for international duty face a severe ban ranging from one to six months, alongside a significant financial penalty.