Portugal manager Jorge Jesus admitted on Friday that he fully expected "Cristiano would return" to the national team setup, only for the forward to call time on his international career following a high-profile spat between the pair.

"Of course I thought Cristiano would return; I planned to call him up, to speak with him. But I have to respect it. He decided it was time to step down from the national team. Sooner or later it had to happen," Jesus told reporters during a press conference at the Cidade do Futebol complex in Oeiras, on the outskirts of Lisbon.

The veteran tactician pointed out that Cristiano "was playing, was scoring goals" for Saudi outfit Al-Nassr. Jesus also noted that he cannot "explain the reasoning behind his decision" and maintained he discovered the talismanic captain was hanging up his boots at the exact same moment as the general public.

"Until that moment, I was completely in the dark," he declared. Addressing the friction between them, Jesus was adamant that "there are no hard feelings" and highlighted the "strong friendship" they had previously forged together at Al-Nassr last season.

The manager was equally steadfast that he would not alter any of his past actions. "I made a managerial decision. A decision prioritising my team, the Portuguese national team. I am certain I did nothing to trigger this," he asserted. "I do not feel guilty about anything," he added.

According to Cristiano, tensions boiled over after Jesus made him warm up on the touchline for half an hour but never brought him onto the pitch. The veteran forward was subsequently handed a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine. With his disciplinary ban now served, he was once again eligible for selection, but opted instead to confirm his international retirement via a social media video on Thursday.