Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyer slams coach Jorge Jesus – Ronaldo saga escalates
Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyer Luis Henrique has argued sharply against Portugal's national coach Jorge Jesus in his column for the newspaper Récord, while the public saga surrounding the superstar continues to gain momentum. The legal representative criticized the coach for his environment and thereby brought the two men back into focus.
Henrique's Accusation Against the Coach
Henrique wrote that Ronaldo is increasingly surrounding himself with people who only tell him what he wants to hear, and less with those who tell him what he must hear. He compared the situation to the fate of gods and autocrats who end up alone on Olympus surrounded by mirrors. The lawyer described the current column as his “last dance”, i.e., the final dance.
Conflict in the Background
The dispute between Ronaldo and Jesus began during the Nations League match between Portugal and Norway, which Portugal won 2:1, while Ronaldo spent the full 90 minutes on the bench. After the game the captain felt offended, because he claimed he had not received promises from the coach. Ronaldo is now threatening a multi‑month ban from the national team, although the decision is still pending.
Ronaldo is also a shareholder in the Portuguese sports newspaper, which Henrique sees as incompatible with his role as a columnist. He stated that a collaboration with a company in which Ronaldo is involved would be “embarrassing” for him.
In Ronaldo's absence, Portugal won all the remaining matches of the Nations League phase. The conflict has also attracted international attention: Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo's former teammate at Manchester United, described the captain's behaviour as “very uncomfortable to watch” and emphasized that it is normal for players to eventually end their international careers.
Rooney spoke on the programme “Stick to United” and criticised that Ronaldo had undermined his coach and teammates. He added that it is time for every player to eventually leave the international game, and that, in his view, Ronaldo is not handling this well.