Former Portugal international Luis Vidigal has questioned Cristiano Ronaldo’s explanation for leaving the national team, saying his statement does not justify everything that happened.

Former Portugal midfielder slams Cristiano Ronaldo’s statement after national team exit

Cristiano Ronaldo has faced fresh criticism in Portugal after former international midfielder Luis Vidigal questioned his explanation for leaving the national team and publicly backed coach Jorge Jesus.

The controversy surrounding Ronaldo’s dramatic departure from the Portugal camp continues to grow.

Ronaldo previously accused Jesus of breaking promises over his role in the team before leaving the squad.

But Vidigal believes the Portuguese superstar’s public explanation does not justify everything that followed.

Vidigal criticises Ronaldo’s statement

Speaking about the dispute, Vidigal made it clear that he believes Ronaldo went too far.

The former Portugal midfielder said Jesus had already admitted making a mistake and argued that the coach had done what he needed to do.

Vidigal also said Ronaldo’s statement “doesn’t justify many things” that happened during the dispute.

His comments represent another public challenge to Ronaldo’s version of events following one of the biggest controversies of his international career.

‘The coach did what he had to do’

Vidigal strongly defended Jorge Jesus and the authority of the Portugal manager.

“The coach did what he had to do,” Vidigal said.

He suggested that even if Jesus made mistakes in the way he handled the situation, Ronaldo could not expect the coach to completely surrender his authority.

Vidigal even suggested that Ronaldo appeared to want Jesus to “kneel” after admitting his mistake.

For the former midfielder, that crossed a line in the relationship between a player and a national-team coach.

Ronaldo accused Jesus of breaking promises

Ronaldo had previously explained his side of the story after suddenly leaving the Portugal camp.

According to the Al Nassr star, Jesus failed to keep promises made during private conversations between the pair.

One major issue reportedly involved Ronaldo’s expected playing time against Norway.

Ronaldo said he had been told he could play around 30 minutes but ultimately remained on the bench.

He also claimed that several points discussed privately were supposed to be explained publicly by Jesus, but that the coach failed to follow through.

Ronaldo decided to leave Portugal camp

Following the disagreement, Ronaldo made the dramatic decision to leave the national-team camp.

The Portugal captain later apologised to supporters and his teammates while explaining that he felt promises made to him had not been respected.

Ronaldo also said he was prepared to accept any consequences resulting from his decision.

His departure immediately created a major crisis around the Portugal national team.

Vidigal believes Ronaldo could regret decision

Vidigal admitted that he was surprised when he saw Ronaldo leaving the camp.

The former Sporting midfielder suggested Ronaldo could eventually regret the way the situation developed.

For Vidigal, disagreements between players and coaches are part of football, but they should not reach a point where the authority of the manager is undermined.

His comments suggest that, in his view, Ronaldo’s frustration may have been understandable but his response was too extreme.

Interesting connection between Vidigal and Ronaldo

The criticism is particularly interesting because Vidigal has known of Ronaldo since the early stages of his career.

Vidigal was already an established Sporting player when Ronaldo was developing through the club’s academy.

He has even suggested that Ronaldo may have viewed him as a physical example during his younger years.

That history makes Vidigal’s decision to publicly criticise Ronaldo even more notable.

Pressure continues to grow around Ronaldo

The latest comments arrive while Ronaldo’s international future remains under major scrutiny.

Portugal’s football authorities have been examining the events surrounding his departure, while speculation continues over whether he will return to the national team.

No final disciplinary punishment has yet been officially confirmed.

Portugal officials have also indicated that the door to a future return has not necessarily been closed.

Another major voice sides with Jorge Jesus

Vidigal’s intervention adds another layer to a controversy that has divided opinion in Portugal.

Ronaldo believes promises made to him were broken and that his frustration was justified.

Vidigal, however, believes that explanation is not enough to defend everything that happened afterwards.

His message is clear: Jesus may have made mistakes, but Ronaldo also has to accept responsibility for the way the situation escalated.

Ronaldo yet to respond

So far, Ronaldo has not publicly responded directly to Vidigal’s criticism.

That means the former midfielder’s comments currently stand as one of the strongest public attacks on Ronaldo since his Portugal exit.

With the disciplinary process still unresolved and questions continuing over Ronaldo’s future with the national team, the controversy is unlikely to disappear soon.