Cristiano Ronaldo opened the door for a return to the Portuguese national team on Tuesday and apologised for his walkout, while also accusing coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word. "I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team," said Ronaldo in a statement. After Jesus left the forward unused on the bench for a Nations League match against Norway. Then before the next game with Denmark said Ronaldo would not start and the 41-year-old walked out. "I owe an apology to my national team teammates for having left the camp," wrote Ronaldo. "Despite the absolute breakdown of trust in the head coach's word... I shouldn't have done it. The responsibility is mine alone." Ronaldo also apologised to supporters, while explaining his decision. "I apologise to the Portuguese people once again, but a broken word has, for me, a defining impact," said Ronaldo. "I felt that, from that moment on, my presence would only harm the group, and I did what I always said I would do if I didn't feel useful: I picked up my bags and left." Ronaldo said new Portugal coach Jesus had initially presented him with a plan for the international window which included starting the opening and final games at home, but not travelling for the Nations League matches in Norway and Denmark. The Al-Nassr superstar rejected that proposal, saying it would set a poor example for the captain to remain in Portugal while his team-mates travelled. Ahead of the Norway game, Ronaldo said Jesus unexpectedly asked if he was fit to play 30 minutes. He agreed and warmed up from half-time, without being brought on. "The head coach failed to keep his word to me," said Ronaldo, Portugal's most capped player and all-time top goalscorer. Former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward Ronaldo said he spoke with Jesus after that and agreed with him that the coach would apologise in a news conference ahead of the Denmark game. However Ronaldo said Jesus's subsequent press conference was completely different from what was agreed in their conversation, with an "aggressiveness" he had never previously experienced from the coach. "It was the second time he failed to keep his word. I decided to leave the camp without waiting for any further broken promises," wrote Ronaldo. The striker said he would serve any "suspension that is imposed" on him and accepted he should be punished for his actions. "The consequence of this act of mine must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation," he explained. "I understand that the punishment should not have mitigating circumstances. I'm not just any player, I'm the team captain, and that is an aggravating factor." Portugal won all four of their Nations League matches and qualified for the quarter-finals with two games to spare. (AFP) Edited by Cecil Wong

Harry Kane celebrated his record-equalling 125th England cap with two trademark goals as Thomas Tuchel's side cruised past the Czech Republic 3-0 on Tuesday for their third straight Nations League win. Captain Kane matched Peter Shilton's men's appearance record and went on to score his 90th and 91st international goals at Wembley as the home side ended the window in style. England opened their Nations League campaign with a narrow 3-2 defeat to world champions Spain late last month before beating the Czechs 2-0 in Prague and hammering Croatia 7-0. Tuchel made four changes to the side that crushed Croatia at the weekend, resting the in-form Anthony Gordon and fellow winger Bukayo Saka. Trent Alexander-Arnold returned at right-back for his first Wembley appearance for his country in two years and immediately looked at home. The Real Madrid right-back forced a smart save from Czech goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek in the opening minutes with a sweetly struck free-kick after Morgan Rogers was brought down outside the box. Chelsea forward Rogers was frequently at the heart of the action as England probed but they created few clear-cut chances against the limited visitors. The deadlock was broken in bizarre fashion in the 27th minute when Czech defender Vladimir Coufal steered the ball into his own net from a Kane cross. Manchester City midfielder Elliot Anderson went close to making it 2-0 moments later but skied his shot over the bar. Bayern Munich forward Kane, a contender for the Ballon d'Or, gave the home crowd what they had been craving five minutes before half-time, finishing off a sweeping England move. Anderson hit a first-time pass to Rogers wide on the right, who delivered first time into the box, into the path of the onrushing Kane. The 33-year-old was inches away from a second in the early stages of the second half when he clipped the crossbar following another flowing England attack. But the crowd did not have to wait long to hail England's record goalscorer again, celebrating after he headed home at the back post from Lewis Hall's corner in the 57th minute. Tuchel made a number of changes but left Kane on as the forward hunted a hat-trick. Kane was eventually brought off to a standing ovation with less than 10 minutes to go, hugged and slapped on the back by Tuchel as he was replaced by Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The win leaves England strongly placed to secure a top-two spot in Group A3, which would take them into the Nations League quarter-finals in March. They are on nine points after four games, three behind leaders Spain, who came from behind to beat Croatia 2-1 on Tuesday. But the night belonged to Kane, who proved he is as sharp as ever, 11 years after scoring 79 seconds into his debut. (AFP) Edited by Cecil Wong