Jesus to hold Ronaldo talks after benched star snubs Portugal fans in Oslo

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has confirmed he will hold talks with Cristiano Ronaldo after the veteran forward was left on the bench throughout the 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway in Oslo and then walked off the pitch without acknowledging the travelling supporters.

Gonçalo Ramos started up front and scored the decisive goal, with Rafael Leão introduced from the bench in the second half. Jesus explained that the tight nature of the game prevented him from using Ronaldo as planned. “He didn’t come on. I was thinking of putting him on, perhaps for half an hour, but then the game dictates other things,” the coach told Portuguese broadcaster RTP. “I felt it wasn’t the right moment to put him on. It was a tactical decision.”

Jesus was clear that Ronaldo’s omission from the action was not a physical precaution. “It wasn’t to protect him physically, because he was in condition to play for as long as I wanted him to,” he said, adding that the 39-year-old remains firmly in his plans. “Perhaps now, against Denmark, he will play.”

The moment that drew the most attention came at full time, when Ronaldo left the pitch without turning to recognise the Portugal fans who had made the trip to Norway. Jesus said he had not noticed the incident himself but acknowledged only Ronaldo could explain his actions. “Absence of gratitude? I believe what they say, but I didn’t even notice it. Only he can answer that,” he said. “The fact is, just because he didn’t play doesn’t mean I don’t count on him. I count on him completely.”

Jesus also pushed back against any suggestion that Ramos’s goal had altered the pecking order in a permanent way. “The fact that Ramos scored a goal doesn’t justify anything, just like in the case of Félix who scored in two games. Each game has a strategy and I have to choose the best players for the game.”

He revealed that Ronaldo had been told before kick-off that he would not start but would be used during the match. “Before the game I told him, ‘You won’t start, but I’ll put you in during the game.’ But that’s football — it dictates things that, in this case, didn’t justify changing the striker.”

With two Nations League fixtures remaining, Jesus indicated that a direct conversation with his captain is the immediate priority. “I need to talk to him, but I know him well. The national team belongs to all of us, and he, as captain… I can’t answer about his thoughts until I speak to him.”