Ronaldo’s Portugal suspension reduced after he accepted responsibility

Cristiano Ronaldo secured a reduction in the punishment he received for leaving Portugal’s training camp without prior notice. The case matters because the 41-year-old had publicly said his captaincy should count against him, yet later argued for mitigation during the disciplinary inquiry.

Ronaldo was initially given a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine. The federation cut both in half for his achievements and services to football, then halved them again because he accepted responsibility; the suspension falls during a period with no international matches. The inquiry said he missed more than 30 team activities between 30 September and 4 October, and criticised his social media post for adding to public speculation. It remains unclear whether he will return to the national team.