Ronaldo benched for full 90 minutes for first time since 2008 with Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo did not play a single minute in Portugal’s 2-1 victory in Norway on Sunday in the Nations League. It is the first time since a Euro 2008 group match against Switzerland that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has remained on the bench for the entire duration of a national team match.

Jorge Jesus had promised Ronaldo playing time. Match circumstances decided otherwise, and the Portuguese manager ultimately did not call upon his historic captain. CR7’s reaction did not go unnoticed: at the final whistle, he headed straight to the dressing room while his teammates gathered at midfield to celebrate the victory over Erling Haaland’s Norway.

Since making his international debut in 2003, Ronaldo has been treated this way only three times. Between 2008 and 2026, he had systematically been a starter in high-stakes matches, with two exceptions: the round of 16 and quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup against Switzerland and Morocco, when he came on as a substitute.

What Fernando Santos had sketched in his final days, before Roberto Martinez reversed course, now appears to be restarted by Jorge Jesus: Ronaldo is no longer an untouchable starter for the Seleção. If the trend continues, it marks a major turning point in Portuguese football history. At 40, the international goals record holder is entering a new phase of his international career — one where his status no longer guarantees him a starting place.