Coach who gave Cristiano Ronaldo his first Portugal call-up speaks out: "It was unpleasant for everyone"

Carlos Dinis, the first coach to hand Cristiano Ronaldo an international call-up at Under-15 level, believes the entire fallout could have been avoided, arguing that the situation was allowed to drag on until reaching an "unpleasant" conclusion for everyone involved.

"It is a situation that could have been avoided. In recent times, I don't think things were handled effectively, and they just let it linger. Especially in recent years, under Roberto Martínez, things kept piling up," he told news agency Lusa.

The 74-year-old Dinis, who spent years working across Portugal's youth setups, argued that it was difficult for any manager to drop Ronaldo as long as he wanted to keep playing, considering his stature, achievements, and legacy. He also referenced the forward's recent press conference alongside Jorge Jesus.

"I watched the press conference live, where Ronaldo said he was ready to play, sit on the bench, or be in the stands, but in practice, that wasn't really the case," Dinis stressed. He pointed out that Jorge Jesus had already shown in past situations—such as with Pablo Aimar at Benfica—that he always prioritizes the team's needs, meaning it was inevitable that the status quo would change under his management.

"The situation dragged on in a negative way, and nobody expected such an abrupt ending. It's unpleasant for all sides—for the Portuguese Football Federation, the manager, and Cristiano Ronaldo," Dinis said. The former youth coach emphasized that while Portugal and the national team owe a great deal to Ronaldo, the forward also owes much to his country, reiterating that the fallout was entirely avoidable.