Ronaldo's €255 fine sparks debate in Portugal: just 38 seconds of his salary

The Portuguese Football Federation’s decision to sanction Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Saudi club Al-Nassr, has sparked controversy in Portugal’s sporting circles after he was handed a 30-day suspension and fined €255 for leaving the national team camp during the recent international break.

Portuguese newspaper A Bola highlighted the size of the financial penalty, arguing it was disproportionate to the incident given Ronaldo’s reported annual salary of around €250 million.

According to the newspaper’s calculations, Ronaldo would need just 38.6 seconds to earn the amount of the fine, raising questions over whether disciplinary sanctions are appropriate for the offenses committed and how regulations are enforced in Portuguese football.

Jesus’ authority under scrutiny

A Bola also noted that Portugal coach Jorge Jesus has full authority to decide Ronaldo’s status with the national team, whether to call him up for the next camp, leave him out, or keep him on the bench.

Ronaldo’s response to the punishment and his future with the national team are expected to attract significant attention, especially as the announcement of Portugal’s squad for the upcoming international break approaches.

Carvalho incident revisited

The newspaper also recalled the case of Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho, who left the national team camp in August 2011 after learning he would not start against Cyprus in the Euro 2012 qualifiers.

At the time, the federation initially suspended Carvalho for a year, later reducing the ban without imposing a fine. He returned to the squad in 2014 and helped Portugal win the Euro 2016 title.

The comparison between the two incidents has reignited debate over the consistency and fairness of disciplinary measures for players, as attention turns to Jesus’ next decision regarding Ronaldo and whether the controversy will affect his relationship with the national team going forward.