"He did not play": Cristiano's surprising reaction after the final whistle of the Portugal-Norway match

A press report has revealed how Cristiano Ronaldo reacted after the final whistle of Portugal's trip to hosts Norway yesterday, Sunday, in the second round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.

At 41, Ronaldo failed to play a single minute of Norway's 2-1 defeat, with Jorge Jesus opting to leave him out.

The coach explained his decision before kick-off: "Today is the third day. Ronaldo played almost 70 minutes in the Wales match, and I felt he could not start two consecutive matches today."

He added: "We want Ronaldo in these four matches, even if it is only for a few minutes, but we want him on the pitch."

Mundo Deportivo picked up the story from there. As every teammate, starters and substitutes alike, made for the stands of the Olival stadium to thank the fans and celebrate the win, Ronaldo went straight down the tunnel to the dressing room.

That came as a surprise. Ronaldo had shown positive signs during the game, going out of his way to greet the players substituted in the second half, particularly Gonçalo Ramos, the man who took his place in the starting line-up.

Portugal last saw Ronaldo sit out a full 90 minutes on the bench back in June 2024, in a friendly against Croatia at the Estádio do Jamor in Lisbon, played in preparation for the European Championship.

Go back further for an official match and you land at the group stage of Euro 2008, against Switzerland, when Portugal had already booked their place in the next round.