Ronaldo benched: Jesus reveals tactical call as Portugal edge Haaland's Norway
OSLO — Cristiano Ronaldo was left kicking his heels on the bench for the full 90 minutes as Portugal survived a wave of Erling Haaland pressure to beat Norway 2-1 at Ullevaal Stadion and maintain their perfect start to their Nations League title defence.
Goals from Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos sandwiched a Haaland strike, but it was Jorge Jesus's decision to keep his captain and all-time leading scorer unused that dominated the post-match debate — a call the Portugal boss insisted was purely tactical.
Ronaldo left out: 'It wasn't the right moment'
With Portugal struggling to get a foothold in the contest — mustering just 1.04 expected goals and only 38% possession while Norway racked up 2.52 xG from 22 shots — many expected Jesus to turn to Ronaldo for a spark. Instead, the 40-year-old forward remained an unused substitute.
"It wasn't the right moment to bring Ronaldo into the game; it was a tactical choice," Jesus explained. "I needed a player with different characteristics, but that doesn't mean he's out of the options. Perhaps he'll play against Denmark."
Felix thrives in Ronaldo's absence
The decision paid off handsomely for Joao Felix, who has now scored six goals in his last 11 starts for Portugal as he continues to flourish under Jesus — the coach he previously worked with at Al-Nassr. Goncalo Ramos added the second as Portugal edged a contest they largely ceded to their hosts.
Haaland the constant threat
Haaland was the game's defining attacking force, leading all players with eight shots and generating 1.5 of Norway's xG on his own. Though the Manchester City striker found the net, Jesus was delighted with how his backline handled the relentless bombardment.
"It was an excellent victory because we played against one of the best teams in Europe right now. They are in the top five, like Portugal," said Jesus. "They have a striker who can score at any moment. It's incredible.
"Our back line, and especially the two centre-backs, with the help of Joao Palhinha and Ruben Neves when they moved into the defensive phase, were very strong in the central corridor. Even so, Haaland had seven shots inside the box and scored once."
Work in progress
While satisfied with the defensive resilience that secured a third straight victory in their title defence, Jesus was candid that Portugal remain a work in progress in the final third.
"We were once again organised defensively and more creative offensively, also with the introduction of new players," he added. "Offensively, we still lack ideas, there isn't yet a collective effort. It's normal: I haven't had time for that."
Portugal's perfect record keeps them firmly on course in their Nations League group, with Denmark awaiting next — where Ronaldo could yet return to the fold.