Why Ronaldo missed Portugal’s victory against Norway – Coach Jorge

Portugal's manager Jorge Jesus revealed the reasoning behind not starting Cristiano Ronaldo during Portugal's 2-1 victory over Norway in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday. Ronaldo, 41, was included in the substitutes' list and was fully fit to take part, but remained on the bench for the entire match. Initially, Jesus intended to bring the captain on, as reported by Fabrizio Romano on X, but the game's circumstances dictated otherwise.

He stated, "I was thinking of Cristiano to come in… but then the game dictates other things." The coach clarified that the decision was purely tactical and not due to any fitness issues, emphasizing that Ronaldo was ready to play. Jesus also mentioned that he had previously discussed this with Ronaldo, agreeing to bring him in during the final half-hour.

However, Ronaldo's teammate Gonçalo Ramos had been performing exceptionally well, scoring the winning goal, and the match situation called for different strategic changes to maintain their lead. Portugal utilized all five permitted substitutions, including Vitinha, Rafael Leão, Rúben Neves, Francisco Trincão, and Bernardo Silva, but Ronaldo was absent from the game.

Jesus hinted that Ronaldo could potentially start in the next games, specifically against Denmark. The win places Portugal at the top of their group after securing two consecutive victories.