Vingada: Ronaldo was late to retire from Portugal duty, and I don’t expect him to return in a coaching or administrative role

Former Portugal coach Nelo Vingada said Cristiano Ronaldo was late to retire from international football and that he did not expect the Al Nassr captain to return to the national team in a coaching or administrative role. His comments came after Ronaldo announced his retirement from Portugal duty, ending an international career that spanned 23 years.

Vingada said retirement was the best decision given what had happened, but described Ronaldo’s absence as a major loss for the national team. He said the dispute between the player and his coach, Jorge Jesus, and their public comments had left no room for reconciliation. He added that the decision made sense from a technical perspective, while noting that what happened had not been fully clarified.

According to Vingada, it would have been better for Ronaldo to postpone his international retirement until after the 2026 World Cup, as the subsequent matches did not give him a suitable opportunity to end his international career in the way he deserved. As for retiring from football altogether, Vingada said he should continue playing for Al Nassr in pursuit of one thousand goals, and perhaps play alongside his son.

Ronaldo announced his retirement after a dispute with Jesus, having left the national team’s camp in Copenhagen without permission in protest at the coach’s comments. The decision came despite his previously expressed desire to continue playing international football, and after fans had been anticipating his return following the suspension.