Cristiano Ronaldo takes swipe at Benfica over Estádio da Luz stance | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo questioned Benfica’s decision that leaves Estádio da Luz unavailable for Portugal matches, raising the issue before Portugal faced Wales.

According to Glorioso 1904, he made the comments at the Portugal Football Summit, referencing Rui Costa’s move to block the national team from playing there.

He said he could not be completely frank, noted some channels target him, and added he could understand hostility at Estádio do Dragão due to rivalry. He suggested the Luz situation was different, saying he had read Portugal cannot play there, and that a few people disliking him does not affect him. He joked that only a shotgun would stop him, and even then he would dodge it.

In May 2025, after Benfica’s 3-1 defeat to Sporting in the Taça de Portugal final, the club announced Estádio da Luz would not be available for national team fixtures. The match was overshadowed by Matheus Reis stamping on Andrea Belotti’s head.

Benfica then said it would pursue disciplinary action against Matheus Reis and Maxi Araújo, and file a formal complaint against the refereeing team led by Luís Godinho and VAR Tiago Martins. The club demanded immediate release of VAR audio, said it would petition FIFA, UEFA and IFAB, suspend its role in Liga working groups on TV rights centralisation, and request an urgent meeting with the Government, keeping the stadium off limits for Portugal until it believed sporting truth had been restored.

Source: Glorioso 1904

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”