Lisbon is looking ahead to November with the expectation that Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Portugal duty, even as the Portuguese Football Federation has opened a disciplinary case involving its long-serving captain.
Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, said the national setup wants the Al Nassr forward back for the next international break, due in around a month. Ronaldo, 41, was absent from Portugal’s latest squad but is understood to be willing to resume his international role after scoring for his Saudi club on Friday.
“The federation, the coach and all the players are united: we want Cristiano back,” Proença said. “I hope he returns during the November international window.” He added that Ronaldo himself was open to rejoining the squad.
The federation president also stressed Ronaldo’s stature in the country’s football history, describing the Portugal captain as “the greatest of all time”.
A disciplinary file remains open
On Saturday, however, the FPF confirmed that it had begun disciplinary proceedings against Ronaldo in relation to events reported on 7 October. The forward has been placed under a provisional suspension that is not applied automatically.
The case was sent urgently to the Disciplinary Investigation Committee on 10 October. The federation said the file will remain confidential until its investigation has been completed.
