Cristiano Ronaldo is benched for Portugal's win in Norway

The perspective must have seemed quite strange to him himself. Cristiano Ronaldo had to watch the entire game from the bench. At least he was able to celebrate twice when his Portuguese scored a goal. João Félix (17th) and Gonçalo Ramos (54th) ensured the 2-1 away win in Oslo against Norway on Sunday evening - and thus the lead in the Nations League group.

So far, so bad. Because the football-crazy nation is now wondering whether Ronaldo's place on the bench was an lese majeste or simply a farewell in installments for Portugal's now 41-year-old superstar. After all, it has been almost two and a half years since Ronaldo had to spend 90 minutes on the bench in an international match. In the test match before the 2024 European Championship in Germany, the striker sat on the substitute bench for the entire game in the 1-2 defeat against Croatia on June 8, 2024. The then national coach Roberto Martinez rested him for the tournament.

The last time the attacker sat out in a competitive game for Portugal was 18 years ago: during the 2-0 defeat against Switzerland at the 2008 European Championship.

It has been noticeable for some time now that Ronaldo has descended from a former world-class striker into the role of a follower - because he is now missing what made him an exceptional striker: speed, speed, goal threat. At last summer's World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, he scored three goals in five games - but he was no longer able to embody the aura of earlier days on the football field.

At the time, people wondered whether it wouldn't be better to end the great career of the man who is Portugal's record goalscorer with 146 goals on international territory - before the myth fades more and more. Ultimately, unlike the other exceptional player of his time, Lionel Messi, he was no longer able to lead a team through the tournament. While Messi, 39, almost single-handedly led Argentina to the final for the second time in a row, Ronaldo and his team had to give up in the round of 16. At the time it was 0-1 against eventual world champions Spain.

But the attacker with a penchant for egocentricity decided to stay in the national team. It became clear at the start of the Nations League that his team no longer needed him. In the 1-0 win against Wales last Thursday he remained largely unaffected and was substituted after 68 minutes. Now in Oslo he had to see how the monument was being sawn.

However, the new coach, Jorge Jesus, did not (yet) want to hear about the star losing importance. "Ronaldo played almost 70 minutes against Wales and I had the feeling he couldn't start in the second match in a row today. We want Ronaldo in the four matches. Even if it's just for a few minutes at a time, we want him on the pitch."

After being ignored, Ronaldo disappeared straight into the dressing room in Oslo - without saying goodbye to the around 500 fans who had traveled with him. Jesus was asked about this faux pas at the press conference. "Why didn't he thank the fans? You have to ask him that yourself," said the coach. "I can't read his mind, but I'll know when I talk to him."