"Ronaldo? My fondest memories are of the kid who broke through at Sporting..."

In the second part of his interview with news agency Lusa, Rui Jorge addressed the recent controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo, who walked out of the Portugal national team camp on September 30 following a rift and an alleged "breach of trust" with head coach Jorge Jesus.

Currently at the helm of the Azerbaijan Under-20 side, the tactician admitted he has only followed the dispute from a distance, but was keen to recall the early steps of the Portuguese captain, with whom he shared a dressing room at Sporting CP and for the national team at Euro 2004.

"The only thing I can talk about is the person, the kid. When our paths diverged, he was just a young player. He broke into the Sporting first team when I already had six years at the club, several years with the national team, and extensive top-flight experience. It is that kid, that drive, and that passion for the game that remain my fondest memories," Rui Jorge recalled.

Praising the 41-year-old forward's extraordinary career, the former Portugal international reiterated the iconic number 7's stature in world football and expressed a clear wish for the final chapter of his international career.

"He reached a level... he is undeniably the greatest Portuguese player of all time, and one of the best in football history. While understanding there is a lot of noise around this, my only hope is that, whenever his time with the national team comes to an end, it is done in a way that truly honors a name like his," he emphasized.

The fallout between the captain and the national team erupted following the recent Nations League double-header. After starting in the 1-0 win against Wales, Ronaldo was an unused substitute in the 2-1 defeat to Norway in Oslo, leaving the pitch visibly frustrated.

Days later, following comments made by Jorge Jesus during a press conference, the forward issued a statement accusing the manager of "breaking his word on two occasions" before departing the national team camp on his private jet bound for Madrid.