Portuguese report mocks Ronaldo and Jesus crisis: Did Trump intervene?

Nuno Travassos, editor of the Portuguese newspaper 'A Bola', mocked the escalating crisis between star Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal manager Jorge Jesus, following the captain's departure from the pitch after a disagreement with the head coach.

Trafasous chose a sarcastic title for his article: 'Did Trump really call Jorge Jesus?', discussing the implications of the crisis and criticizing Ronaldo's stance. He emphasized that the current conflict will not yield benefits for any of its parties, at a time when restoring calm and stability to the Portugal national team seems complicated.

The editor of 'A Bola' noted that social media can be harsh, explaining that he recently came across an article discussing US President Donald Trump's call to Cristiano Ronaldo, where he said: 'We need you.'

He clarified that he thought for a moment that the crisis of the Portugal national team had reached the White House, which Ronaldo visited in November 2025, before pointing out that Trump's call to the player dates back to February of this year.

Travasos believes that the possibility of Jorge Jesus receiving a call from the American president is not entirely out of the question, especially after the intervention of Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, alongside Trump receiving the peace award from FIFA.

It is considered that the crisis reaching this level of global attention reflects the significant status that Cristiano Ronaldo holds in football, but at the same time, it reveals the extent of the impact that his personal actions can leave.

Travassos confirmed that Jorge Jesus was the only party required to provide an explanation for what happened, while fans are still waiting for Cristiano Ronaldo's account, along with clarification from the president of the Portuguese Football Federation.

The circulating narratives regarding the incident do not provide sufficient justification for the captain of the national team to leave at a time when he should be fully focused on his responsibilities towards the team.

Cristiano Ronaldo's frustration at being on the bench, despite not being expected to start the match, does not justify turning his back on his teammates and the fans, even if he later received a promise of playing for 30 minutes or spent a long time warming up.

The incident occurred during only the second match for Jorge Jesus in charge of the national team, emphasizing that the matter is not specifically related to the Portuguese coach. The same situation could have happened if the head coach had been José Mourinho, Ruben Amorim, or Sérgio Conceição.

Travasos added that Ronaldo did not consider that many of his teammates have gone through similar situations, and that some players suffered from not being substituted for fear of reactions, due to his status as a prominent star and the focus of everyone's attention.

It is not easy to put oneself in others' shoes, especially for Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not accustomed to the idea of being left out of the starting lineup.

The editor of 'A Bola' believes Cristiano Ronaldo made a mistake but emphasizes that the player's status and exceptional value are also evident in such situations, stating that the Portuguese star has a greater margin than others to make mistakes.

However, he saw that the captain of the national team, who has succeeded over the years in uniting the Portuguese and rallying around him, was required to show greater humility.

Trafasous criticized Cristiano Ronaldo's insistence on his position, escalating the crisis after the statements made by Jorge Jesus during the press conference.

The writer explained that Cristiano Ronaldo had the right to leave the pitch, but he chose to do so in a way that increased the controversy, as he left in a black car instead of taking the team bus with his teammates.

This step has pushed the crisis towards a path that seems to lead to one outcome, amid ongoing tensions between the two parties.

Trafassos concluded his article by stating that no one will emerge victorious from this struggle, considering that finding a solution to restore true calm and stability to the Portugal national team has become a difficult task.

The organization of a farewell worthy of Cristiano Ronaldo's career may be the minimum that can be done, but there are concerns about whether this farewell will receive the dignity and respect the Portuguese star deserves.