Cristiano Ronaldo unused as Portugal beat Norway 2-1, first time in 18 years | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo remained an unused substitute as Portugal beat Norway 2-1 in Oslo, the first time in 18 years he has sat out a competitive international.

O Jogo reports that after the final whistle he headed straight down the tunnel, while team-mates stayed on the pitch to applaud the 500 travelling supporters at Ullevaal Stadium.

Head coach Jorge Jesus kept the 41-year-old captain on the bench throughout. The previous instance came at Euro 2008, when Portugal lost 2-0 to Switzerland.

Jesus said he had not noticed his captain leaving early and plans a private discussion about his responsibilities. He praised Portugal’s defensive organisation and tactical execution, and said the flow of the game did not justify introducing a striker of Ronaldo’s profile, despite telling him he would come on. He stressed that the decision does not indicate a reduced role.

Portugal will complete their recovery in Oslo before returning home to prepare for Denmark in the Nations League. With wins over Wales and Norway, they aim to consolidate top spot in Group A. Jesus maintained Ronaldo is a leading option to start the home fixture, and the forward will push to regain his place.

Source: Goal.com

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