Cristiano Ronaldo asked for a punishment with no mitigation, then fought to reduce it

Cristiano Ronaldo successfully fought to reduce the punishment he received for walking out on Portugal's training camp in Denmark, just weeks after publicly saying his sanction should be imposed without mitigating circumstances. The disciplinary council's file reveals that the 41-year-old forward presented several arguments to soften the penalty, which ended up as a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine.

• Ronaldo left the camp in Copenhagen after a Jorge Jesus press conference in which the head coach defended his authority.
• The player cited his clean disciplinary record, his titles and his contribution to clarifying the facts to reduce the punishment.
• The sanction was halved for his achievements and services to the country, then halved again for accepting responsibility.
• The suspension will be served during a period with no international fixtures.
• Portugal and Denmark meet again on 14 November in Braga.

How Ronaldo's departure from the Portugal camp unfolded

The reconstruction of events sheds light on the circumstances around the captain's exit. After head coach Jorge Jesus held a press conference in which he insisted he was in charge of the team and that no player would influence his selection decisions, Ronaldo requested a vehicle from the federation and set off for Copenhagen airport.

During the journey, he called the federation's president, Pedro Proença, and told him he was not in the right frame of mind to stay with the squad. According to the ruling, the player did not inform or provide prior justification to the federation or the national team officials about his intention to leave the stadium and the training camp.

Given his prominence as a public figure on a global scale, the defendant could not have been unaware that his conduct, in the circumstances in which it occurred, would be subject to intense media scrutiny, as indeed it was.

The arguments Cristiano Ronaldo used to cut his punishment

The document accompanying the ruling details that the Al-Nassr striker presented three mitigating factors: his disciplinary record this season and in the previous three seasons, his services to football including recognition for sporting merit, and his contribution to establishing the facts of the case.

To support those arguments, Ronaldo listed the club titles he has won and his achievements with the national team: the 2016 European Championship and the two Nations League titles. He also highlighted his individual awards, including five Ballon d'Or wins, and the honours he has received from senior Portuguese state officials.

The double reduction of Cristiano Ronaldo's sanction

The decision-makers accepted the arguments linked to the player's achievements and services to the country. That recognition was used to cut both the suspension and the fine in half. The punishment was then halved again because Ronaldo admitted responsibility for his actions.

The suspension will be served in a window without international matches, which minimises its practical impact on the national team. It remains to be seen whether the captain returns to the squad or whether Jorge Jesus selects him again.

The Instagram post that fuelled the controversy

The federation says the promise Ronaldo made on social media after leaving the camp brought further negative attention to the episode. On the very day he left Copenhagen, the player posted a message on Instagram announcing that, in due course, he would tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons for his departure.

The disciplinary council stressed that the footballer was expected to exercise particular caution in choosing the timing and manner of expressing his dissatisfaction with the manager's decisions. Instead, his post further fuelled speculation and public curiosity, according to the ruling.

What Portugal have at stake against Denmark on 14 November

Portugal have a fixture marked in the calendar for 14 November against Denmark in Braga. It is the national team's next international commitment, against the same opponent involved in the incident at the Danish camp.

The main unknown surrounds Ronaldo's presence in that squad. The suspension does not affect international matches, but his relationship with head coach Jorge Jesus and the player's own decision will determine whether he wears the national shirt again.

Frequently asked questions about Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal sanction