Mehdi Benatia hopes Cristiano Ronaldo gets fitting exit

Mehdi Benatia wants Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal career to end on a more positive note, rather than with the dispute currently surrounding the national team. The former Morocco defender hopes Ronaldo returns to the squad and receives the conclusion he has earned after more than two decades at international level.

Ronaldo left Portugal’s camp after tensions with coach Jorge Jesus. The 41-year-old had remained on the bench for the entire 2-1 victory over Norway, then departed several hours after Jesus held a news conference in which he reaffirmed his authority over the team’s sporting decisions.

Benatia, who played alongside Ronaldo at Juventus and now works as a Canal+ consultant, has urged patience over the episode. His view is that Ronaldo should represent Portugal once more before bringing his international career to a definitive close, rather than seeing his story end amid controversy.

Ronaldo is Portugal’s leading scorer and most-capped player. He also helped the country win Euro 2016 and the Nations League. Those achievements explain why Benatia believes the five-time Ballon d’Or winner deserves a final chapter that better reflects his importance to Portuguese football.