Sports
Portugal's head coach, Jorge Jesus, revealed why legendary player Cristiano Ronaldo was benched during his team's Sunday evening match against hosts Norway. The UEFA Nations League encounter in Oslo, part of the second round, saw Portugal win 2-1. Gonçalo Ramos and João Félix started in attack, scoring the winning goals. Post-match, Jesus explained to media that "the game demanded something different, and it wasn't the right moment for him." He also noted Ronaldo, having played roughly 70 minutes against Wales three days prior, "cannot start two consecutive matches today." The coach stressed the importance of Ronaldo "in all four of these matches, even if only for a few minutes, but we want him on the field," utilizing his experience. Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 41, had started Thursday's match where Portugal defeated Wales 1-0. This marks a rare benching for him with the national team; his last substitute appearance was about two years ago, on September 8, 2024, in a UEFA Nations League match against Scotland (2-1), where he came on as a sub by coach Roberto Martínez and clinched the win with an 88th-minute goal. The reigning champions, the Portuguese national team, will continue their campaign by visiting Denmark next Thursday, then hosting Norway on October 4.
