Khabib Nurmagomedov Criticizes Portugal Over Cristiano Ronaldo's Treatment After Retirement

Khabib Nurmagomedov questions Portugal's treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo.© NDTV Library

Khabib Nurmagomedov has criticised how Portugal treated Cristiano Ronaldo, putting his message out right after the forward announced his retirement from international football. “When you give it your all, you become obsolete,” the UFC lightweight champion wrote on Instagram Story. Ronaldo, who is 41, wrapped up his Portugal career on Thursday, November 5, finishing with 234 appearances and 146 goals. The announcement came weeks after a dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus. Khabib also put Ronaldo in the very top tier of players and asked how teams could treat someone who gave so much to the sport.

Khabib's words show his disappointment with how Portugal treated Ronaldo

Khabib opened with praise for the former Portugal captain. “There are the best ones, and there are the best of the best. Ronaldo belongs among the best of the best. It's hard to understand the mentality of giants like him,”he wrote.

Then he turned to the treatment side of it. “It's hard to describe in words what he has done for football, just as it's hard to describe how he's been treated by the teams he gave his all to,”Khabib added. The post reached his 45 million followers on Instagram.

The two athletes go back a while. Ronaldo backed Khabib before his final UFC fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, saying during an Instagram Live, “Of course, Khabib is going to win.” Khabib retired from MMA unbeaten in 2020 with a 29-0 professional record, and he has said in the past that he turns to Ronaldo for advice.

Ronaldo's Portugal exit came after a disagreement with Jorge Jesus

The trouble started in late September. Ronaldo was unused substitute in Portugal's 2-1 Nations League win over Norway on September 27, and three days later, on September 30, he left the national team's training camp in Copenhagen after a disagreement with Jesus.

Ronaldo said he made the decision after the manager's press conference and a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença. He later accused Jesus of breaking his word twice, while Jesus maintained that his decisions were made with the team in mind. The federation suspended Ronaldo for 30 days and fined him €255 (about $286), and at that point Ronaldo said he was not retiring from international duty.

Speaking after the retirement news, Jesus said the forward had stayed in his plans right up until the announcement, and that he found out at same time as everyone else. He also said he hadn't contacted Ronaldo since. Ronaldo made the call himself in a video on Instagram, captioned “Portugal will always be in me.”

Portugal's federation president has promised to honour the striker's contribution. Proença said, “No tribute will ever be enough to thank him for everything he has done for Portuguese football, for Portugal.” Ronaldo leaves as the national team's record scorer with 146 goals and its most-capped player with 234 appearances, across a 23-year career that started with his senior debut in August 2003. He won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016, added the Nations League in 2019 and 2025, and played in six World Cups.

Portugal play Denmark and Wales in the Nations League later this month, and Ronaldo will keep playing for Al-Nassr at club level.