José Mourinho has reportedly criticised Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus over his handling of Cristiano Ronaldo, with the situation surrounding the legendary forward becoming one of the biggest talking points in Portuguese football.
The controversy comes after Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp following a disagreement over his role in the national team. Ronaldo had been called up by Jesus despite questions surrounding his position and playing time, but his situation reportedly became increasingly tense after he was left out of the starting lineup. Recent reports say the decision contributed to Ronaldo’s departure from the camp.
According to comments circulating in the aftermath of the incident, Mourinho questioned why Jesus would call Ronaldo into the squad if he already knew he was not going to use him.
“If you knew you weren’t going to use Cristiano… then why call him up in the first place?” Mourinho was quoted as saying.
The former Portugal coach and current Benfica manager reportedly argued that Ronaldo should not be treated like an ordinary squad player because of what he represents to Portuguese football.
Mourinho’s reported comments also acknowledged Ronaldo’s age. At 41, the Al-Nassr forward cannot be expected to perform in exactly the same manner as he did at 25. However, Mourinho’s argument was that age does not automatically erase Ronaldo’s importance, experience or influence.
Rather than expecting Ronaldo to play every minute of every match, the reported view is that his minutes could be carefully managed while still recognising his status within the national team.
The debate is particularly significant because Jesus previously spoke positively about Ronaldo when he was appointed Portugal coach. Jesus described Ronaldo as a symbol of Portuguese football and said the veteran forward would not be a problem for either him or the national team. He also stated that he would call Ronaldo up when the player was available.
Jesus had also worked with Ronaldo at Al-Nassr before taking the Portugal job, making the latest dispute particularly notable.
Mourinho reportedly went further by pointing to Ronaldo’s extraordinary contribution to Portugal over many years, including his goals, records, trophies and historic presence with the national team.
The strongest reported message attributed to Mourinho was:
“Don’t bite the hand that helped feed you.”
The Ronaldo-Jesus situation is now being closely followed as Portugal considers its next steps, with Ronaldo’s international future once again at the centre of attention.
