British media personality Piers Morgan has revealed new details about the crisis that erupted between Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal manager Jorge Jesus. The dispute, he claims, was never about the captain demanding a starting place. It was about what he called "keeping promises" and honouring the agreement between the two men.
According to Morgan, Jesus had agreed that Ronaldo would feature in the first two matches, with a guarantee he would play the opening game in full. That assurance convinced the player to carry on his international career. Yet the manager hauled him off in the 67th minute against Wales, despite the prior agreement.
Jesus apologised to Ronaldo and to the president of the Portuguese Football Federation after the match, Morgan added, and promised to explain what had happened. Things only grew more complicated when the account changed over how the player would be used in the following matches.
Jesus later asked Ronaldo to play 30 minutes against Norway, Morgan said, and the player agreed. He warmed up for around 25 minutes. In the end, he never stepped onto the pitch. Ronaldo saw that as "a lack of respect" and a broken promise.
"He does not demand to be an undisputed starter or to play 90 minutes in every match," Morgan said of Ronaldo, insisting the issue for the Portugal star was simply sticking to what had been agreed in advance.
Feeling the agreement had been ignored, Ronaldo asked to leave and departed, Morgan went on. Jesus, meanwhile, kept fronting up at press conferences with statements that, by Morgan's account, contradicted what had been agreed behind the scenes.
The British media personality sharpened his attack on how Jesus handled the situation. The manager, he reckons, was trying to assert his authority at Ronaldo's expense. The player, by contrast, believes his career and achievements with the national team earn him a special status within the squad.
Morgan pointed to last year's UEFA Nations League final. "Who scored in the final? Ronaldo," he asked, before refusing to play down the forward's importance or accept the idea that Portugal are better without him.
He closed by invoking Lionel Messi's expected farewell with Argentina. Ronaldo, he argued, deserves a send-off worthy of his career with Portugal. The row with Jesus should not overshadow the tribute the captain may yet receive at the end of his international career.