Humberto Coelho ravishing: “With me, if Cristiano Ronaldo did not happen”

Humberto Coelho, ‘lenda viva’ of Portuguese football, granted, this Wednesday, an extensive interview to the program ‘Bola Branca’, issued by Rádio Renascença, in which he addressed, ‘without popes in the language’, the polemic triggered by the abandonment of Cristiano Ronaldo to the main selection of Portugal, in disagreement with the management of which was targeted by Jorge Jesus.

“ Nobody won. Nobody wins and nobody wins. This was indeed a very, very complicated, very dark period. Not only for Cristiano Ronaldo, but also for the federation”, he began by affirming the former vice president of the Portuguese Football Federation (PFF), a position he abandoned in 2025 when Pedro Proença was elected as the maximum leader of the organization.

“ He is an extraordinary player who has done a great deal for the national team and for Portugal and is a federation that also has the responsibility. So it was too bad, too bad. I feel sorry for that,” he added, sparing no one to criticism, not even the national selector, for the way he handled this case.

“ I know that if I was a selector, this wouldn't happen. That's for sure. And if I were a player, I don't think so, either, because I was captain of the team and I don't think it should happen. It shouldn't happen. So I do not really know what can happen (...). I think he's actually the captain. We spent 20 years with Cristiano Ronaldo to support and walk with the selection on the back ", defended.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return can cause “serious problems again”

For the historic defense of Benfica, despite what happened, Cristiano Ronaldo will have to return to represent Portugal. Still, he stressed that “it depends on the players” and the way they will be willing to receive it: “There is one thing that is important, it seems to me that the players today are with Jorge Jesus.”.

“ I wish he'd come back, didn't I? But not that there would be any more situations like this. Everything had to be in agreement and it was up to the selector, the president and Cristiano (...) There must be an understanding, but an understanding that is good. And let people take responsibility. Because if the return isn't well-designed and well-prepared, with responsibility, it's no use. Because there may again be serious problems”, he analyzed.

“It was important that he should in fact be suspended. That's one thing. Now, to give a fine of 255 euros ... I think this is a bit out of context, it doesn’t help anything”, he concluded.

I'll be back in November?

Cristiano Ronaldo, remember, was punished with a 30-day suspension, a period that began counting from the moment he abandoned the concentration of the team of quinas, i.e., on 30 September, on the eve of the victory achieved in the trip to Parken, over Denmark, by 2-4.

This means that Al Nassr's advance will be "lone" as of October 30th, and will be able to join Jorge Jesus' convoked list for the games of the last two days of the League of Nations group phase, against Denmark (on November 14, Braga Municipal Stadium) and Wales (on November 17, Cardiff City Stadium).