Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal fine mocked as Spanish Journalist spots one hilarious double-standards detail

Cristiano Ronaldo has found himself at the center of another international soccer controversy after the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced disciplinary action against the legendary forward. However, the punishment has attracted attention far beyond Portugal, with a Spanish journalist delivering a sarcastic assessment that has sparked amusement and raised questions about the severity of the decision.

The Al-Nassr captain received a suspension following his departure from Portugal’s national team camp ahead of a Nations League fixture against Denmark in September. While the ruling could have consequences for his relationship with national team coach Jorge Jesus, it was one particular aspect of the punishment that prompted Juanma Castano’s most memorable response.

The FPF’s Disciplinary Council handed Ronaldo a 30-day suspension and a €255 ($286) fine after he left the national team camp before Portugal’s Nations League match against Denmark in Copenhagen on September 30. According to the disciplinary ruling, Ronaldo informed federation president Pedro Proenca that he was “not in the right frame of mind to remain with the squad.”

The forward reportedly left Parken Stadium in a vehicle requested through the federation’s director of services as Portugal prepared for a training session. The decision followed a disagreement between Ronaldo and Jesus over the forward’s involvement in the Selecao’s matches. Ronaldo subsequently accused the coach of breaking promises about his playing time and failing to deliver a public clarification they had reportedly agreed upon.

In a statement released on October 6, Ronaldo criticized what he described as Jesus’s “authoritarian, ‘I’m in charge here’ attitude.” The dispute has raised questions about whether the two will be able to move forward together, although the suspension’s timing could allow Ronaldo to return for Portugal’s November fixtures.

Hilarious comparison emerges

Speaking on Spanish radio programme El Partidazo de COPE, Juanma Castano reacted sarcastically to the FPF’s decision, suggesting that the federation had been particularly severe with Ronaldo in one respect while barely affecting him financially.

“The Portuguese Federation isn’t messing around. They’ve slapped him with a 30-day suspension—even though he hasn’t been called up—but the suspension counts from the previous training camp, from the very day he left,” Castano said.

He explained that the suspension had effectively been running since the incident, meaning Ronaldo could become eligible for Portugal’s next squad selection once the sanction expires. The journalist then turned his attention to the financial penalty, setting up the punchline that made his comments stand out.

“But they did hit him where it hurts—in his wallet. That’s where they decided to get serious: the ‘cash.’ Cristiano has been fined 255 euros,” Castano joked. He followed with the comparison that quickly became the defining moment of his reaction: “Damn, in any Spanish city, you’d get a 300-euro fine just for taking the trash out at the wrong time—that’s more expensive than deserting the Portuguese national team!”

What helped reduce the punishment

The disciplinary ruling also revealed that Ronaldo’s representatives requested mitigating circumstances based on his contributions to soccer, his sporting achievements and his assistance in establishing the facts of the case. The FPF accepted the arguments relating to his significant service to soccer and his sporting merits, but rejected the claim that he had made a decisive contribution to uncovering the truth.

The committee explained that this particular mitigating factor applied to disciplinary cases that were difficult to investigate. The decision has also attracted ridicule beyond Spain, with an English BBC panel reportedly questioning the modest size of the fine and joking about Ronaldo submitting his sporting résumé as part of his defence.