Jorge Jesus On Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement and his biggest regret: “The way I treated Cristiano Ronaldo during the final chapter of his international career is something I will regret for the rest of my life.
“I personally pleaded with him to consider retiring after winning the Nations League.
“I felt that was the perfect moment for him to say goodbye to international football.
“He had already given Portugal everything and achieved almost everything a footballer could dream of.
“But Cristiano refused because his desire to represent his country was still stronger than anything else.
“He wanted to keep fighting, scoring goals and making history.
“Perhaps I failed to understand just how much wearing the Portugal shirt meant to him.
“Looking back, I wish I had handled certain situations differently.
“I am genuinely sorry for how I treated him.
“He deserved more appreciation, respect and understanding from me.
“I will never forget everything he has done for Portuguese football.
“My only hope is that he knows how much I regret the way things unfolded.”