Portugal coach says he had not anticipated Cristiano Ronaldo's retirement despite their falling out

Portugal coach Jorge Jesus says that he had not expected Cristiano Ronaldo to retire from international soccer despite their recent public falling out.“I thought he would return. I certainly intended to call him up,” Jesus said when he presented his Nations League squad on Friday, a day after Ronaldo announced that he was ending his long and illustrious career for his country.“He felt that this was the right moment to leave, and that must be respected. We can never overlook what he has meant to Portugal, what he has contributed to the country, or the fact that he serves as a symbol for younger players.”Ronaldo’s final appearance with Portugal was on Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home win over Wales in the Nations League.Jesus kept Ronaldo on the bench for the following match and said he didn’t plan to start him in the next one. Ronaldo responded by leaving the team’s training camp. Ronaldo later apologized. But the Portuguese soccer federation fined him and suspended him from the team for 30 days.