Jorge Jesus or Cristiano Ronaldo's ego: What really led to his sudden Portugal retirement?

Cristiano Ronaldo's extraordinary international career has come to an end, but the circumstances surrounding his retirement continue to raise questions.

Was Jorge Jesus responsible for bringing the curtain down on Ronaldo's remarkable 23 year journey with Portugal?

Or did the five time Ballon d'Or winner struggle to accept that his role in the national team was changing? Was his ego the real reason behind his decision to retire?

I know we are talking about a 41-year-old but he is just any other 41-year-old. He is Cristiano Ronaldo. One of the greatest ever to touch football.

The debate has intensified following fresh comments from Jesus on Friday, November 6, a day after Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football.

Speaking at a press conference, Jesus revealed that Ronaldo's retirement had taken him by surprise.

"I thought he would return. I certainly intended to call him up," Jesus said.

The Portugal coach admitted that he had no idea Ronaldo was planning to retire and learned about the decision along with everyone else.

In fact, Ronaldo was still part of his plans for Portugal's upcoming Nations League matches.

Jesus acknowledged that their recent disagreement might have accelerated Ronaldo's retirement but insisted that he was not responsible.

He also made it clear that he would not change any of his decisions.

"I wouldn't change anything, absolutely nothing," he said, explaining that he had always put the interests of the national team first.

Despite their recent disagreement, Jesus had nothing but praise for Ronaldo.

The Portuguese coach recalled their successful time together at Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, where they won the Saudi Pro League title and developed a strong friendship.

Jesus described Ronaldo as a global icon and an inspiration to younger Portuguese footballers.

In fact, he revealed that he had arranged for a large photograph of Ronaldo to be displayed in the national team's auditorium so that younger players could look up to him.

He also disclosed that he had personally asked Ronaldo to continue representing Portugal because he wanted the veteran forward alongside him.

However, Ronaldo ultimately decided to walk away.

Ronaldo's final appearance for Portugal came against Wales in September, when he made his 234th international appearance.

He was subsequently left on the bench against Norway and learned that he would not start the following match against Denmark either.

Ronaldo later accused Jesus of breaking promises about his playing time, including an assurance that he would feature against Norway.

The disagreement eventually led to Ronaldo leaving the national team camp without permission.

He was subsequently handed a 30 day suspension and a €255 fine. However, the suspension was backdated, meaning he would have been available for Portugal's November fixtures.

Ronaldo apologised for his actions but maintained that the coach had broken his word.

At the time, he insisted that he was not ready to retire from international football.

However, just weeks later, he announced his decision to end his Portugal career.

Personally, I feel Portugal finally had a coach who was prepared to make difficult decisions to get the balance right in the team, rather than simply trying to please Ronaldo.

And that is exactly what a national team coach should do.

Jesus understood Ronaldo's extraordinary contribution to Portuguese football, but his responsibility was to the entire team, not just one player.

That meant making decisions based on performances and the team's needs, even if those decisions involved leaving one of football's greatest players on the bench.

But that did not mean Ronaldo had nothing left to offer.

In my opinion, he could still have been an important member of the squad, even without a guaranteed starting place.

He could have been an invaluable mentor to the younger generation, while his experience and remarkable goalscoring ability would have made him a valuable option coming off the bench.

And let's not forget that Ronaldo is still scoring goals for Al Nassr.

Imagine having someone with his finishing ability and experience coming off the bench when Portugal desperately needed a goal.

That could have been a valuable weapon for Jesus.

And here's where things become even more surprising.

Before Portugal's Nations League campaign in September, Ronaldo had publicly stated that he was prepared to accept any role within the national team.

He said he was willing to start on the bench or even remain an unused substitute if that was what the coach wanted.

But what happened a few days later appeared to contradict those words.

Of course, Ronaldo maintained that his frustration was also about promises Jesus had allegedly broken regarding his playing time.

That is an important distinction.

Nevertheless, the incident raised questions about how comfortable Ronaldo really was with his changing role.

Personally, I wonder whether Ronaldo genuinely believed he could accept a reduced role.

Perhaps deep down, he still saw himself as the main man, someone who could contribute much more than simply being a squad player.

And after spending more than two decades as the centre of attention for club and country, accepting that things had changed may have been harder than he imagined.

Personally, I feel Ronaldo should have retired from international football a little earlier.

For a legend of his stature, the ending should never have unfolded like this.

Leaving the national team camp, receiving a suspension and becoming involved in a public disagreement with the coach is hardly the farewell one would have imagined for arguably Portugal's greatest footballer.

At 41, Ronaldo was no longer the player who could dominate every match for 90 minutes.

That is simply the reality of ageing, even for someone with his extraordinary fitness, dedication and desire to succeed.

He could still have contributed to Portugal, but perhaps in a different role.

And had he been comfortable with that, things might have ended very differently.

Ronaldo's enormous self belief has always been one of his greatest strengths.

It helped him rise from a young boy in Madeira to become one of the greatest footballers in history.

That relentless desire to win, score goals and prove people wrong played a massive part in his extraordinary career.

But perhaps that same mentality made it difficult for him to accept that his role with Portugal had changed.

The very quality that took Ronaldo to the top may also have contributed to this rather unfortunate ending.

Of course, only Ronaldo knows exactly what influenced his retirement decision.

And Jesus was entitled to make decisions based on what he believed was best for Portugal.

Still, I cannot help feeling that things could have ended differently.

Whatever happened in those final weeks, nothing can take away from Ronaldo's achievements.

146 goals in 234 international appearances. Euro 2016. Two Nations League titles.

What an extraordinary journey!

Beyond the goals, records and trophies, Ronaldo inspired millions of youngsters around the world to kick a football, chase their dreams, never give up and fight through adversity. He made them dream. He was the confidence of many.

Of course, there were moments when he could have handled things differently. But he is human, after all. None of that takes away from what he has achieved or the impact he has had on millions around the world.

And personally, I feel Ronaldo deserves one final farewell match for Portugal.

Not because he needs another record or another goal, but because someone who has given 23 years to his country deserves a proper goodbye on the football pitch.

Ronaldo had previously promised supporters one or more farewell matches before announcing his retirement.

Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca has also promised to honour his extraordinary contribution, although no farewell appearance has been confirmed.

For me, the ideal ending would be to see Ronaldo wearing that famous No. 7 shirt one last time, stepping onto the pitch and hearing Portuguese supporters roar his name.

After everything he has achieved, that would be a fitting farewell.

His international career may have ended in controversy, but it should be remembered for the extraordinary journey that came before it.

What a career. What a player. What a legacy.

End of an era.