Jorge Jesus refused to follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s planned eight-point script at a press conference as the Portugal boss, leading to the legendary forward’s claim he had ‘broken promises’.

The eight points were included in an extraordinary 1,996 word statement made by the 41-year-old on Tuesday night.

When questioned about Ronaldo’s comments on Wednesday, Jesus responded: ‘I read the statement, and now, as I do every day, I’m going to the federation to work, to think about the team and the national team.’ 

Ronaldo, who abandoned his country after a spat over being an unused substitute, made the statement having promised he would tell his side of the story.

The statement included notes he expected Jesus to address at a press conference before their Nations League match against Denmark.

Ronaldo’s notes followed a meeting with Jesus and Simao Coutinho, the sporting director of Al-Nassr, who has worked with both at the Saudi Arabian club.

Jorge Jesus deviated from eight-points Cristiano Ronaldo expected the Portugal boss to address at a press conference last week

Jesus’ comments ultimately led to Ronaldo walking out of the Portugal national team camp

The forward claims an agreement was reached for Jesus to clarify Ronaldo’s situation at a press conference, explaining that the Portugal boss had initially changed his plans. 

Ronaldo claimed Jesus had told him he would play the final 30 minutes against Norway but was instead left on the bench despite warming up. 

Jesus appeared to follow some of Ronaldo’s requests, but the coach stopped short of following all of the demands as he continued to assert his authority.

Ronaldo expected that Jesus would confirm the ‘plan I proposed to Cristiano was accepted’.

‘The match in Norway was not part of the plan I drew up for him. However, I felt that he had managed to recover physically from the first match and I warned him that I might have to use him. Cristiano agreed.’

While Jesus acknowledged there were discussions over his role for the match, the coach stressed he remained in charge of the final decisions.

‘The status doesn’t give players preferential treatment. The status is about respect for their careers. Like I do with Cris. 

‘I always put the issue first, the plan, which is drawn up with the player, and I’m the one who decides. They know, even the presidents know. The president is in charge at the club, I’m in charge at the team.’

Jesus had conceded it was a mistake to make Ronaldo warm-up without bringing him on due to his status, but then insisted he would take decisions he believes are required during matches

Another of Ronaldo’s requests was for Jesus to say: ‘I made a mistake by putting someone of the stature of Pelé or Maradona on to warm up and then not putting him in the game. If it were today I would not do it.’

The Portugal boss appeared to have followed some of the request, even referencing legends Pele and Maradona during his press conference as he acknowledged he had made a mistake with his handling of Ronaldo.

Jesus, however, had continued by again stressing that he can promise players ‘whatever I want’ but he would not change his mind on decisions regardless of the status of the player.

‘I told Cris that he wasn’t going to play these two games,’ Jesus said.

‘I thought during the game, maybe I’ll need him and he’ll warm up. And then I didn’t put him in the game. 

‘Any player, when we’re warming up for 20 or 30 minutes, and then they don’t come on. No one is happy about that. Much less Cris. Much less Pele, Maradona, that’s the status.

‘When the game started, I told him to warm up at the 45th minute, I didn’t know what I was going to do. That’s what I did wrong, I should have had him warm up about 15 minutes later.’

Jesus, however, added: ‘The game dictates what I’m going to do. I thought I had even discussed it with him, but maybe until I needed him in the final minutes. 

‘But the game dictated other things and I didn’t put him in. 

‘I can promise whatever I want. I’m a coach, I told the player he wasn’t going to play, but I’ll put you on the bench. 

‘Since I saw the game my way, he didn’t come on. There will never be a player who will change my mind. Never, zero.’

Ronaldo’s future with the Portuguese national team is in doubt following his walkout and explosive statement

Another of Ronaldo’s requests was for Jesus to confirm his desire for him to be part of the Portugal squad by saying ‘I want Cristiano in the National Team. In fact I do not want him a little, I want him a lot.’

The request was not touched upon by Jesus in his comments to the media, as well as highlighting Ronaldo’s love of the national team.

Jesus, however, had previously referred to Ronaldo as being a ‘symbol of Portugal’ in a joint press conference at the start of the international break.

Ronaldo’s extraordinary statement and requests have cast further doubt over his future with the national team.

Ronaldo has accepted he may be punished and insists he is still available to play if called upon.

The striker also reveals that he offered to retire if that’s what the coach and head of Portuguese FA wanted, only for them to reiterate their desire to have him.

Whether it is possible for Jesus and Ronaldo to reconcile remains to be seen but with his 42nd birthday approaching in February, the explosive row could well be the end of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s future in competitive international football. 

Jesus remains magnanimous and two days ago insisted Ronaldo returning to the fold is a live possibility. 

He explained: ‘It’s up to Cris to decide his own life. In the next call-up, if Cris is playing and wants to be in the national team, why not?

‘Resentment? Nothing, it was a misunderstanding. In my opinion, it’s easy to resolve. When will I resolve it? I don’t know. The game is over, and only afterwards will we know how things will turn out.

‘It’s not up to me. To reach an agreement with two people, both people need to talk and agree. That’s not up to me.

‘Just because it was him, and perhaps rightly so because he’s a symbol, this whole problem of him coming on, warming up, not coming on. How many players warmed up today and didn’t come on? Will there be a problem? No. 

‘With Cris it’s different, he’s a symbol. But is it a problem? For me it wasn’t a problem. If Cris wants to and is playing for Al-Nassr, he’ll be in the next squad. We talked before this squad and we can talk before the next one. It’s Cris who will decide.’