Portugal head coach, Jorge Jesus, has explained why he benched Cristiano Ronaldo for his side’s UEFA Nations League clash against Norway on Sunday.
Ronaldo was an unused substitute as Gonçalo Ramos took his place in the starting XI against Norway.
The match ended 2-1 in favour of Portugal, thanks to goals from Ramos and João Félix.
Speaking about why he benched Ronaldo, Jesus said (via Al Nassr Zone on X):
“Today is the third day. Cristiano played around 70 minutes against Wales, and I saw that he is not able to start two consecutive matches.
“We want Cristiano Ronaldo to be with us for these four matches, whether he plays more minutes or fewer, but we want him to be on the pitch.”
Nations League: Why I benched Ronaldo against Norway – Portugal coach, Jesus