Portugal great Antonio Simoes urges Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus to make peace

Antonio Simoes, the Benfica and Portugal great, has urged Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal manager Jorge Jesus to resolve their dispute, while questioning whether the 41-year-old should still be guaranteed a starting place.

Simoes, who won a bronze medal with Portugal at the 1966 World Cup, was speaking after reading Ronaldo’s statement explaining the events surrounding his departure from the national team’s training camp.

“The best thing would be to find a way to make peace rather than continue the war,” Simoes told Portuguese newspaper A Bola. “This makes no sense. If circumstances allow Cristiano to return, then he should be welcomed back – but by everyone, not by people who hide.”

He added: “We should not give Cristiano Ronaldo the right, and I do not think he has it now, but if he admits he made a mistake, we should not judge him. Let us give him the opportunity, especially to receive a farewell worthy of his status and stature.”

Simoes called for “common sense and tolerance” from both sides, saying: “We have conflicts with everyone. If Cristiano wants this, give him the chance. I am not defending Cristiano, Jesus or anyone else here; I am defending common sense.

“They should meet, talk and find a solution. How wonderful it would be if that happened. That is my greatest hope.”

Simoes questions Ronaldo’s role

Simoes said Ronaldo could sometimes appear to put his own interests first, recalling an encounter with the forward at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“Sometimes we feel that he thinks only of himself,” Simoes said. “This player has had such a career. He has matured and become a man, and he must find a way to think beyond selfishness.

“It is not only about scoring goals; it is also about the game. These things must be part of him.”

He said Ronaldo’s future involvement should be decided by the manager, adding that wanting to play “is not a crime”, but does not mean he should complete an entire match.

“I have doubts about whether he is still a real addition to the national team,” Simoes said. “At 41, you have to understand that you may be useful at a particular moment, and your presence may have an impact because of the enormous stature of your name. The manager must know how to manage that.”

Simoes rejected suggestions Ronaldo’s absence had affected his team-mates, saying Portugal had played well and won, with “zero” impact visible.

He said Ronaldo could still contribute without starting or playing for 90 minutes, but sarcastically noted: “After scoring 1,000 goals, Cristiano Ronaldo will continue playing for the national team until he is 49.”

The comment came while discussing the World Cup scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia, before Simoes compared Ronaldo’s status with that of Eusebio, Pele and Maradona.

On Jorge Jesus asking Ronaldo to warm up before leaving him on the bench, Simoes said the manager had complete authority over the decision.

“Why should he receive special treatment?” he asked. “He has a different status, but is he not a player in the team? Stop these things and do not feed them.”

Regarding any possible punishment for leaving camp, Simoes said the decision should depend on the applicable standards and what happened. He called for both men to speak and apologise if necessary, saying a meeting could send “a wonderful civilised message to Portugal”.

He concluded: “I played alongside the king called Eusebio, and I lived alongside Pele and Maradona. I have never seen anything like this happen around a king. A 41-year-old man playing football – would it not be better for him to stop?”