Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has declared that he has no regrets about the way he handled his disagreement with Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting that his actions were guided by what he considered best for the team and the national side.

The disagreement between the coach and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner reportedly began in October when Jesus left Ronaldo on the bench for the entire 90 minutes of Portugal’s Nations League encounter against Croatia. Following the match, the 41-year-old forward left the national team camp, an incident that further heightened tensions between both men.

Ronaldo subsequently faced disciplinary action from the Portuguese Football Federation (PFF), which suspended and fined him over the incident. Although he was eligible to feature for Portugal in the November international fixtures, the former national team captain chose to bring his international career to an end, announcing his retirement on Thursday.

Jesus was later questioned about the breakdown in his relationship with Ronaldo and whether he would have handled the situation differently. The Portugal manager made it clear that he stood firmly by his actions and would not change the decision he made during the Croatia encounter.

Responding to the question, Jesus said: “I wouldn’t change anything, absolutely nothing.”

He explained that his choice was made in his capacity as a coach, with the interests of the team and the Portuguese national side taking priority over individual considerations. According to him, the decision was part of his responsibility to make choices he believed would benefit the national team.

Jesus also rejected the suggestion that he had done anything to bring about the disagreement or the events that followed. He maintained that he was convinced his conduct had not contributed to the situation that eventually developed between himself and the former Portugal captain.

“I’m convinced that I didn’t do anything to cause what happened,” the coach added.

Ronaldo’s retirement brings an end to his long-standing involvement with Portugal, having represented the country for 23 years. His departure from the national team came after the reported disagreement with Jesus and the disciplinary measures that followed the October incident.