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Cristiano Ronaldo has been handed a 30-day suspension and a €255 ($286) fine by the Portuguese Football Federation after leaving the national team camp without permission following a dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus.
However, the financial penalty amounts to just 39 seconds of the 41-year-old star's estimated earnings, with salary database Capology placing his annual fixed salary at Saudi club Al Nassr at €208.4 million, equivalent to approximately €6.61 per second.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced the disciplinary ruling Monday, finding that the 41-year-old forward had deliberately violated federation regulations by walking out of Portugal's camp in Copenhagen on Sept. 30.
Ronaldo left the squad a day before Portugal's UEFA Nations League match against Denmark, following disagreements over his playing time and role in the national team.
The federation's disciplinary council upheld the charge under Article 160(1) of its regulations, imposing a 30-day suspension alongside the financial penalty.
The disagreement emerged after Ronaldo remained on the bench throughout Portugal's 2-1 victory over Norway on Sept. 27.
Following the match, tensions between the veteran forward and Jesus intensified over Ronaldo's involvement in the squad, eventually leading the Portugal captain to leave the training camp without authorization.
In a lengthy public statement, Ronaldo accused Jesus of failing to keep promises concerning his playing time but also apologized for his decision to walk out on the team.
He acknowledged that the federation should determine the appropriate disciplinary action and maintained that he had never considered retiring from international football.
Ronaldo had already been subject to an automatic provisional suspension since his departure on Sept. 30, before the Portuguese Football Federation formally opened disciplinary proceedings on Oct. 9.
The case was subsequently referred for investigation, with an additional provisional suspension imposed during the disciplinary process.
However, the federation's announcement did not clarify whether the time Ronaldo had already served under those provisional measures would count toward his 30-day punishment.
The ruling follows weeks of uncertainty surrounding the Portugal captain's position in the national team, although Ronaldo has reiterated his intention to continue representing his country.
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