Vidigal takes the coach's side in the conflict between Ronaldo and Jesus...

The intense conflict that has arisen around the Portugal national team between head coach Jorge Jesus and legendary forward Cristiano Ronaldo has become the main talking point in world football. Regarding this sensational dispute, the national team's former midfielder José Luís Vidigal openly expressed his thoughts, fully justifying the coach's actions.

In an interview with the influential Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former footballer strongly criticized the 41-year-old forward for arbitrarily leaving the team camp.

“The coach did his job”: Vidigal's sharp stance

Vidigal assessed the main blame in the conflict by touching upon the player's emotions:

• Regret over the decision: “Please stop (laughs). The coach did what he had to do. As soon as Ronaldo got on the plane to fly away from the national team camp, I thought he would regret what he did,” he says;

• “Making him kneel is not allowed”: Emphasizing that Cristiano's official statement could not smooth over the situation, the former footballer added: “Jesus said he made a mistake, but there is a big difference between admitting a mistake and trying to bring the coach to his knees. In my opinion, such an unacceptable situation cannot be found in any other team”.

The root of the conflict: The match against Norway and the dispute over promises

The disagreement within the national team escalated during the UEFA Nations League match:

• The star left on the bench: In the match against Norway (2:1), Jorge Jesus sent a warming-up Ronaldo to the sidelines, but ultimately did not put him on the pitch;

• The rebellion of September 30: Angered by the head coach's decision, the 41-year-old forward left the national team camp on September 30 without asking anyone for permission;

• The statement of October 6: A week later, Cristiano released a statement explaining his actions and accusing Jesus of not keeping his word and breaking given promises.

The greatest goalscorer in history: Numbers and facts

Cristiano Ronaldo has long been leading the Portugal national team:

• 234 matches: The legendary footballer has taken the field 41 times in the national jersey; (Note: keeping numbers exact, translating 234 matches properly)

• 146 goals: He has scored 146 times in the international arena against opponents' goals, setting an absolute record in the history of world football.

Nevertheless, today's disciplinary crisis that has arisen with experienced specialist Jorge Jesus is casting a serious shadow of doubt on 41-year-old Ronaldo's future in the national team.