'A Humiliation After 6,678 Days': Ronaldo Ignores Fans Again, Heads to the Locker Room in Anger... What Exactly Happened?

*This content was translated by AI.

Cristiano Ronaldo (41) suffered the humiliation of not playing a single minute in an official national team match for the first time in 18 years, despite being in peak condition with no injuries. Even as his team secured a victory, Ronaldo did not share the joy with his teammates and could not hide his stern expression as he headed straight to the locker room.

British outlet 'TNT Sports' and global football media 'Goal.com' reported on the 28th (Korean time) that "Portugal captain Ronaldo sat on the bench during the match against Norway, experiencing an official match absence for the first time in 6,678 days."

On the 27th, Portugal defeated Norway 2-1 in an away match of the second round of UEFA Nations League League A Group D held in Oslo, Norway. Taking an early lead with a first-half goal by João Félix in the 17th minute, Portugal conceded an equalizer to Norway's Erling Haaland in the sixth minute of the second half but quickly secured the victory when Gonçalo Ramos scored the winning goal.

Ronaldo's recent situation of staying on the bench despite his team's victory has become even more of a hot topic. Ronaldo, who started in the match against Wales on the 24th (1-0 win), was named on the substitution list for the first time since September 2024 and prepared to enter the game by warming up but ultimately did not receive a call from the coach.

Ronaldo's absence from an official national team match without injury marks the first time in 18 years (6,678 days) since June 15, 2008, during the Euro 2008 group stage match against Switzerland. At that time, Portugal had already secured early qualification for the quarterfinals, and his absence was due to resting a key player; however, this time he was completely excluded for tactical reasons amid a fiercely contested match.

Coach Jorge Jesus, who took charge of the Portugal national team in July this year, drew a clear line stating it was a thorough tactical decision. In an interview with local media, Coach Jesus said, "We had previously discussed bringing Ronaldo on during the last 30 minutes or so, but the flow of the game did not allow for it." He added, "Ramos was performing exceptionally well, scoring a goal and even having another disallowed, making him highly active. It would not have been appropriate to take him off at that moment."

He further clarified that this was not due to considerations for managing Ronaldo's physical condition. Coach Jesus stated, "There was absolutely no intention of resting Ronaldo. He was in perfect condition and could have played the full 90 minutes if I had wanted. To maintain a balance between offense and defense while withstanding Norway's relentless attacks, we needed a player who could fulfill that role. It was simply a tactical choice, just like for other players."

Ronaldo's attitude after failing to play also came under scrutiny. Watching the match intently from the bench with a serious expression throughout, Ronaldo did not join his teammates who were celebrating the victory by applauding fans in the away stands when the final whistle blew. Instead, he walked straight through the tunnel and into the locker room.

This symbolic scene demonstrated that 41-year-old Ronaldo, who is just 21 goals away from the historic milestone of 1,000 career goals, has been reduced from being an absolute starting striker for Portugal to merely a tactical option. Portugal will face Denmark in the third round of the Nations League on October 1.

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*This content was translated by AI.