Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo spent all 90 minutes on the bench as his side beat Norway 2-1 in the Nations League. It was the first time since 15 June 2008, when Portugal lost 2-0 to Switzerland at Euro 2008, that the 41-year-old forward had sat out an entire competitive fixture while fully fit. "I had even agreed with him that he would come on for the final half-hour, but the match didn't require it," manager Jorge Jesus explained.
Jesus prioritised collective balance, and the approach delivered. Goncalo Ramos found the net twice, although one of his efforts was ruled out for offside. The manager insisted the decision was not injury-related, adding that Ronaldo is likely to be back on the pitch against Denmark. Victory in Oslo gave Portugal a second successive win in their Nations League group.
