The latest episode on the Cristiano Ronaldo saga is soon to be concluded after the Portuguese Football Federation’s disciplinary council reportedly imposed a 30-day suspension and €255 fine for his decision to leave the Portugal squad on 30 September.
The decision came after Ronaldo apparently submitted a 2,000-word statement to the FPF.
The ruling stated: “In relation to the mitigating circumstances of having rendered significant services to football and receiving recognition for sporting merit, the defendant Cristiano Ronaldo submitted his sporting CV, including the awards and honours he received during his career.”
The 30-day suspension is expected to be imposed from 30 September, in which case Ronaldo will actually serve no suspension at all and be available for Portugal’s match against Denmark on 14 November.
The €255 fine is not even worth discussing such is the ridiculousness of the amount of money involved for someone who reportedly has more than $1 billion in the bank.
What was the point?
We already know there are different rules for different players. This was proved after Ronaldo’s sending off for violent conduct against the Republic of Ireland on 13 November 2025.
It should have been an automatic three game suspension under FIFA’s disciplinary code for violent conduct. He eventually served a one game suspension with the other two suspended for one year, allowing him to play in Portugal’s opening two matches at the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee said it considered his disciplinary record, the veteran never receiving a red card in his previous 225 internationals.
It was obvious the FPF would give Ronaldo the lightest suspension and fine possible, but to go to all the effort of effectively giving him no punishment at all goes one step further than FIFA.
On 10 October, FPF president Pedro Proença said: “We are all sitting down at the table. There is a great desire to have our captain back.”
Proença also said that he would have no influence on the disciplinary process, saying: “That will depend solely on the Disciplinary Committee, which is an autonomous body and will do the work.”
The Portuguese Football Federation had to be seen to do something, especially after the 41-year-old said he would accept whatever punishment was imposed. In reality, it all seems like a waste of time.
In the modern world when people in power are seen to be doing whatever they want with little to no consequences for themselves, it’s a bad look for everyone involved. Just as we see with politicians and leaders of organisations all over the world, they will simply spin the narrative and wait for the media to move onto something else.
Ricardo Carvalho not so fortunate
Ricardo Carvalho abandoned a Portuguese training camp in 2011 two days before a 2012 European Championship qualifier against Cyprus.
He realised he wouldn’t be part of Paulo Bento’s plans and later explained his decision: “It was a very strong feeling I had. It was in the heat of the moment.
“When I got back from training, I felt disrespected, I felt like I was out of place, they made me feel that way. I got to my room and didn’t even change my clothes. It wasn’t premeditated at all, I was hot-headed and didn’t talk to anyone. That was my big mistake, it didn’t cross my mind. I was so disoriented at that moment.”
Carvalho announced his retirement from the national team, saying he felt “disrespected and hurt” before he was officially suspended by the FPF.
The suspension, which could have been up to two years, was reduced to one year after the following justification: “Taking into account the athlete’s sporting history, the FPF Board decided to suspend Ricardo Carvalho for one year, as well as forfeit any prizes to be awarded as a result of the National Team’s eventual qualification for the Euro 2012 finals.”
Carvalho would eventually spend three years away from the Seleção before bing called up by Fernando Santos ahead of the Euro 2016 qualifiers. The centre-back spoke before making his comeback: “I apologize to everyone. I was the one most harmed; I hurt myself.”
“Everyone knows I regret what I did. I paid for it, I accepted the punishment, and as long as I play football I will always be available to represent my country.”
“Because of the mistake I made, if I were in his position, I might have done the same and never called me up again. I always said I’d like to talk to him (Bento) again, but that didn’t happen. It was a day when I was hot-headed and I didn’t do things in the best way.”
Similarities with the Balogun case
This saga is all to reminiscent of FIFA’s decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one game ban at the 2026 World Cup which allowed the United States striker to play against Belgium in the Round of 16.
US President Donald Trump admitted influencing the decision by having a conversation with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. After the ban was suspended Trump wrote on social media: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
UEFA described the decision as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”
Infantino, who had been heavily criticised for his role in the affair, reiterated that he had no influence in the decision: “FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them.
“Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.”
Now Infantino, who is under heavy pressure to keep his job, is reportedly set to amend FIFA’s rules to prevent a repeat of Balogun saga happening again.
Door wide open
The person left out of a lot of this story is Jorge Jesus, who for many and the majority of Ronaldo worshippers, is the one to blame for Ronaldo leaving the squad in the first place.
Jesus was apparently unwilling to front a press conference and read a list of points drawn up by Ronaldo and his advisers verbatim, one which read: “I made a mistake by having someone of Pelé or Maradona’s stature warm up only to then not put him in the game. If it were today, I wouldn’t do it.”
Let’s see what happens now, because this story is far from over.
It remains to be seen what pressure Jesus will be under from the FPF to call up and play Ronaldo, but from what we have seen so far, he will stand his ground and do what he thinks is in the best interest of the team.
