Ronaldo handed 30-day ban, 255-euro fine for leaving Portugal camp

Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, has been handed a 30-day suspension and a fine of 255 euros ($286) for going absent without leave from the Portugal national team camp. With the ban set to expire by the end of this month, he will be eligible to play in November's international fixtures.

The Football Federation of Portugal announced Tuesday (Korean Standard Time) that its disciplinary committee had found Ronaldo guilty of deliberately violating federation rules on one occasion, imposing the 30-day ban and the 255-euro fine. The federation added that Ronaldo had acknowledged the violation and agreed to accept the punishment.

The trouble began on Sept. 28, when Ronaldo was named as a substitute but did not appear in Portugal's 2026-27 UEFA Nations League match against Norway. Ahead of the Denmark match on Oct. 2, coach Jorge Jesus said he would not start Ronaldo, and the captain walked out of the national team camp without authorization.

Ronaldo subsequently posted a lengthy statement on social media, saying Jesus had broken his promises twice and that the loss of trust was the reason he left the camp.

He said Jesus had promised to play him against Norway but did not follow through, and had also agreed at a press conference to explain truthfully why Ronaldo had not featured in that match — only to go back on his word. Ronaldo acknowledged his own fault and apologized to fans, but drew a line at any suggestion he was retiring from the national team.

The Portuguese football federation's punishment was widely seen as lenient.

Under federation rules, a player who fails to fulfill national team obligations or leaves a squad camp without authorization faces a fine and a suspension of between one and six months.

Yet the ban applied to Ronaldo amounts to just 30 days. According to AFP and other outlets, the suspension was backdated to Oct. 1 (local time), the day of the Denmark match, and is set to end by the close of this month.

Ronaldo will therefore be able to rejoin the squad for next month's fixtures. Portugal have won all four of their Nations League matches since his departure, securing a quarterfinal berth. They face Denmark on Nov. 15 and Wales on Nov. 18.

Jesus has said Ronaldo is welcome to return "if he wants to," and attention is now focused on whether he will actually do so.

Meanwhile, the size of Ronaldo's fine has also drawn widespread comment.

Sky Sports reported that, based on his club salary, it would take Ronaldo roughly 39 seconds to earn enough to pay the fine.

Ronaldo earns around 488,000 pounds a day at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, according to the outlet, and Forbes estimates his total earnings for 2026 will reach 225 million pounds.