Ronaldo didn't ask Tiago and Carvalho to apologise

The FPF - the Portuguese Football Federation, have denied that Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the captain of Portugal, demanded that Tiago Mendes and Ricardo Carvalho apologise publicly so as to be allowed to return to the team.

"It is a lie that the captain has talked to these or other teammates and demanded that they beg forgiveness or behave in a certain way", said the FPF in a communiqué in response to the popular sports daily "Correio de Manhà" which has the widest circulation in Portugal.

According to the newspaper, 29-year-old Ronaldo requested that Tiago, 33, and Ricardo Carvalho, 36, to admit to the mistakes which have kept them out of the side for the past three years. Carvalho, a defender who plays for Monaco, was involved in a disciplinary incident in August 2011, when he walked out on the squad once he found out he was not going to be playing, and Tiago, a midfielder playing for Atlético de Madrid, retired from the team by sending a fax in January this year, of his own volition.

During this week, both have made statements regretting their actions. They have been picked for tonight's friendly match against France (the first game of Portugal's new manager Fernando Santos, who has replaced the man who was manager from 2010-2014, Paulo Bento) and also for the Euros qualifying match against Denmark on 14th October.