It Was A Tactical Decision – Jorge Jesus Explains Why Ronaldo Stayed On Bench

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus has explained why Cristiano Ronaldo remained on the bench throughout Sunday’s 2-1 UEFA Nations League victory over Norway.

Ronaldo, 41, was fit and named among the substitutes, but Jesus opted to start Gonçalo Ramos in attack. Ramos went on to score the winning goal as Portugal secured their second consecutive victory and maintained their position at the top of the group.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Jesus initially planned to introduce Ronaldo during the match but changed his decision as the game progressed.

“I was thinking of Cristiano to come in… but then the game dictates other things,” Jesus said, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Portugal manager stressed that Ronaldo’s absence from the game was purely a tactical decision and was not related to any physical concern.

“I felt it wasn’t the right time to put him in the game. There are still two more games, but it wasn’t to protect him physically. He was ready,” Jesus explained.

Jesus also revealed that he had spoken with Ronaldo before the match and they had agreed on a plan for the veteran forward to feature for the final 30 minutes.

However, Ramos’ performance affected the manager’s decision. The forward scored once and also had another effort ruled out, prompting Jesus to maintain the attacking setup that had produced the desired result.

Portugal eventually used all five of their permitted substitutions, with Vitinha, Rafael Leão, Rúben Neves, Francisco Trincão and Bernardo Silva entering the game, while Ronaldo remained on the bench until the final whistle.

Jesus has indicated that Ronaldo could return to the starting lineup for Portugal’s next fixture, with the manager suggesting that the captain could feature from the beginning against Denmark.

The victory over Norway gave Portugal two wins from two matches in the Nations League group, keeping them at the top of the standings.