J. Jesus commented on the decision to leave C. Ronaldo on the bench.

2026-09-28 10:48 © AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo watched from the bench as the Portugal national team secured victory in the UEFA Nations League against Norway on Sunday.

After the match, Portugal's coach Jorge Jesus acknowledged that the decision to keep C. Ronaldo on the bench was tactical.

"I considered the possibility of bringing Cristiano Ronaldo onto the field, but the game was going the way it was going.

I felt that it wasn't the right moment to put Ronaldo on the field. We still have two matches ahead of us, but this decision was not related to conserving him. Ronaldo was ready,” said J. Jesus.