Ronaldo’s break with Portugal is sad, fitting, and long overdue | Jonathan Wilson

The star’s rift with Jorge Jesus is an unfortunate affair. But the forward has been holding his national team back for years Sign up for our free newsletter here If this is to be the end for Cristiano Ronaldo at international level, at least it can be said that he left the stage as he bestrode it: with monumental self-regard.

Ronaldo has always been a preening, self-absorbed player, but for a time, when he was one of the best in the world, it could be tolerated. For the past four years, though, he has actively and obviously held Portugal back. There is a great generation of technical talent here weighed down by the monstrous albatross of his ego. To recap the basic details of the past couple of weeks. Ronaldo played 67 minutes of Portugal’s scratchy 1-0 win over Wales . Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, who replaced Roberto Martínez after the World Cup, said he had a…