Former England and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand launched a scathing attack on Portugal boss Jorge Jesus, accusing him of mistreating legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo and saying that he must "ask for forgiveness". The Al Nassr star left the national team camp early after a breakdown in communication during the UEFA Nations League, with the 41-year-old's role under Jorge, who was also part of Al Nassr's trophy-winning set-up with Cristiano, coming under question. Tensions reached their peak when Portugal played Norway. Ahead of the match, Cristiano was instructed to warm up with the expectation of featuring later in the contest. However, Jorge eventually decided against bringing him on, leaving the legendary striker frustrated on the bench.
While Jorge claimed that Cristiano was left out for tactical reasons, it only added to the growing rift between the once-close coach-player pair.
Ferdinand, Cristiano's teammate at Manchester United from 2003 to 2009, jumped to the legend's defence, saying on his 'Rio Presents' podcast, as quoted by Goal.com: "Cristiano Ronaldo was put in a very bad situation and was treated in an inappropriate way. He has an enormous history in football. Jorge Jesus did not deal with Ronaldo well and chose to treat him in that way, but I cannot find any explanation for it. This manager thinks he is Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola."
"I do not know why he puts himself among the great managers. I cannot find an explanation for it. He should have shown Cristiano Ronaldo the respect he deserved," he added.
Ferdinand argued that the fallout between Cristiano and Jorge was rooted in poor management and a failure to give the superstar a clearly defined role. He said it had created an environment of uncertainty that mirrored previous struggles within the team's dressing room during major tournaments.
"The coach must come and ask for forgiveness... otherwise he will end up being fired. He must come out and say: 'Listen, I misjudged this situation'," he added.
Despite the debate surrounding Cristiano's age and where he fits into the modern game, Ferdinand feels that the veteran still has a lot to offer his country, and the challenge is to find the balance between the player's ego and the team's needs.
"I believe he still has a role to play. The question is whether it will be as a starter, as an important substitute in some games, or even if he will start in some and come on in others. This is what needs to be discussed, and then it will just be a matter of respecting the agreements made. These coaches are paid to manage a team, but they are also paid to manage people," Ferdinand signed off.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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