Portugal manager Jorge Jesus flatly rejected any suggestion of apologising to Cristiano Ronaldo after their fallout, following their 2-1 win over Norway in the UEFA Nations League on Monday.

It was Portugal’s fourth consecutive UEFA Nations League victory and with it they book their place in the quarterfinals. However, Ronaldo’s absence remained the dominant talking point after the match.

Ronaldo, 41, left Portugal’s training camp on September 30, after having to sit out their match against Norway in Oslo on the 27th.

The Al-Nassr star remained on the bench throughout the match, warming up on the sidelines during the second half, but was never brought on.

Portugal won that tie 2-1 too, but after the match, Ronaldo’s snub grabbed all the headlines.

Asked at his post-match press conference on Monday, whether he would apologise to Ronaldo, Jesus reacted sharply.

“Apologise for what? And what reason would drive me to apologise?” Jesus replied to a query from a reporter.

“The main reason for all this is the player’s warm-up. I take responsibility for the decision and what happened, but apologise for what? And to whom? This is ridiculous,” he added.

A Portuguese Football Federation media officer attempted to move the discussion on, but Jesus returned to the subject and defended his authority as national team manager.

“Apologise for what? What is the problem?” Jesus said before making clear that his selection decisions were not open to outside influence.

“I am the manager, and I call up whoever I want. I do not consult anyone about the players I wish to select or who will play.

“As a manager, there are things that are non-negotiable.”

Jesus also did not rule out Ronaldo returning to the Portugal squad if the forward wants to come back.

Portugal will face Denmark on November 14, and whether or not Ronaldo returns is likely to dominate all discussions.