Elma Aveiro, Cristiano Ronaldo's sister, has revived doubts over his future with the Portugal national team, after hinting that his international career may have reached its end, following his sudden departure from the national team camp during the last international break.
Speaking at a book launch on Wednesday, Elma, 53, described the sadness her younger brother, 41, is living with amid the crisis that followed his exit from the Portugal camp.
Ronaldo's sister: his continuation with Portugal is not guaranteed
Ronaldo left the national team camp after sitting on the substitutes' bench for Portugal's 2-1 win over Norway. Disagreements then escalated between him and coach Jorge Jesus over the way the situation was handled.
The Portugal captain responded with a statement of close to two thousand words, setting out his version of events and making clear he wants to return to the national team ranks.
His sister's latest comments suggest that return is anything but settled. She made them at an event Jesus also attended, a striking irony given the nature of the crisis.
Elma Aveiro said, in comments highlighted by the British newspaper "The Sun": "The likelihood of him not returning is greater than the likelihood of him returning. I think both of them, Ronaldo and Jesus, are in pain. It was a situation they lived through, not me, and I am speaking on behalf of my brother."
She added: "I think things have reached a dead end, and we will see what happens. I don't know, the matter is extremely complicated. When we are betrayed, it becomes very difficult to go back to how things were before."
Elma Aveiro criticises Portugal's treatment of her brother
Portuguese football officials should show greater gratitude for what the national team captain has delivered across his international career, Elma believes, and she voiced her sadness at what she described as the fans forgetting what her brother achieved in the past.
She said: "I feel sad, because the Portuguese people, unfortunately, forget what has already been achieved, and believe that things should go a different way now."
"I can't find the words to say, because it is very hard to see my brother going through this situation," she continued. "He is one of the people who least deserves what is happening to him."
Her words extend the Ronaldo family's stance on the crisis. His mother had already revealed she broke down in tears after his sudden departure from the national team camp.
The Portuguese federation's position and Ronaldo's international future
The Portuguese Football Federation, for its part, issued a statement after Ronaldo left the camp, confirming that the automatic suspension imposed on him was in force.
Controversy over his international future rumbles on, yet the Al-Nassr striker is expected to be available for selection in the Portugal squad in preparation for next November's matches.
Portugal had secured two wins in the UEFA Nations League at the expense of Denmark and Norway. Ronaldo watched both from home, a development that raised questions about his relationship with the coaching staff and his future with the national team.
Whether the Portugal captain comes back to the national team ranks remains unresolved, pending what the coming period brings, amid his sister's insistence that overcoming the crisis and restoring the relationship to how it once was will not be easy.