Cristiano Ronaldo faces a first with Portugal: benched, unused | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo was at the center of one of the most unexpected images of the Nations League matchday. Portugal’s all-time top scorer started the game against Norway on the bench and, for the first time in a long while, finished the match without playing a single minute.

The situation drew particular attention because of the striker’s status, as he has been one of the unquestioned pillars of the Portuguese national team for virtually his entire career.

A spell on the bench that ended a long streak

To find the last time Cristiano had been a substitute, you have to go back to a friendly against Croatia in June 2024.

But the most striking detail emerges when looking at official matches with points or qualification at stake. The last time Ronaldo did not step onto the pitch in a match of this kind was on June 15, 2008, during the European Championship, when Portugal had already qualified and lost to Switzerland.

This time, however, the decision was not related to an injury or any physical issue.

Jorge Jesus explains why he did not play

Portugal coach Jorge Jesus made it clear that Cristiano was fit to take part and that his absence was purely down to a tactical decision.

In fact, the initial plan was for Ronaldo to come on during the second half, but the way the match unfolded ended up changing those plans.

Ramos’s performance and the need to maintain balance in the final stretch led the coaching staff to stick with the plan without turning to Cristiano.

Cristiano warmed up, but was left without minutes

The cameras closely followed the striker throughout the match. Cristiano stayed on the bench and, in the closing minutes, even went out to warm up.

However, the substitution never came, and the Portuguese star ended up watching his national team’s victory from the sidelines in what may have marked an unusual moment in his long international career.

Now, attention will turn to the next match against Denmark, where it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo regains his place in the starting lineup or begins on the bench again.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.