Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer necessarily untouchable with Portugal. Left on the bench throughout Sunday’s 2-1 Nations League victory in Norway, CR7 had not experienced such a situation in an official match with the Seleção since Euro 2008. At 41, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is inevitably seeing his status begin to change.
It is a sight that has become extremely rare over the past two decades: Cristiano Ronaldo sitting on the bench for 90 minutes while Portugal play a competitive match. Jorge Jesus had planned to bring his captain on for the final half-hour, but the way the game unfolded ultimately changed his plans. Gonçalo Ramos, who started up front, impressed his coach by scoring and also having another goal disallowed. With Portugal involved in a tight contest, Jesus preferred to maintain his team’s balance rather than introduce Ronaldo.
A first in a competitive match since 2008
“I had agreed with him that he would come on for the final half-hour, but the way the match developed did not require it. Gonçalo Ramos was playing well, he scored, had another goal disallowed, and I felt it was not the right time to replace him,” the Portugal coach explained after the match. The last time Ronaldo was an unused substitute in an official Portugal game was on June 15, 2008, when the Seleção lost 2-0 to Switzerland at the Euros after already securing qualification for the quarter-finals. Eighteen years later, the context is very different: Ronaldo is now 41 and faces genuine competition for his place, with Ramos once again showing he can lead Portugal’s attack.
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Jesus nevertheless rejected the idea that his star is being pushed aside. “He was fully fit and could have played for as long as I wanted. I needed to bring on another player to maintain the balance and secure the result. It doesn’t mean he has been left out, quite the opposite. Maybe he will play against Denmark,” he said. Another detail attracted attention after the final whistle, however. While his teammates went over to salute the Portuguese supporters in Norway, Ronaldo headed straight to the dressing room. There is no way to say whether that reaction was connected to him not playing, but the episode is likely to fuel further discussion about his changing status.
The real novelty may not be that Ronaldo started on the bench. At his age, managing his playing time appears logical. The bigger symbol is that Portugal played and won an important match without needing him. CR7 remains his country’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer, with 234 appearances and 146 goals. But for the first time in a very long time, the question is no longer simply who will play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in attack, but whether he will play at all. With major fixtures approaching, Jorge Jesus appears to be opening a new era: Ronaldo remains part of his plans, but his presence on the pitch no longer seems automatic. It may not yet be the end of CR7 with Portugal, but perhaps the beginning of a historic change in status.
