Ronaldo silent against Wales, debate on his place intensifies
While the debate over Cristiano Ronaldo's legitimacy in the Portuguese national team continues to divide, the 41‑year‑old endured a trying evening on Thursday night, during Portugal's narrow 1‑0 victory over Wales in the Nations League, remaining silent and far from the 1,000 goals expected.
Brought on right after halftime by Joao Neves, the five‑time Ballon d’Or took his first touch over the Welsh goal at the 49th minute, as the goal looked open. Ten minutes later, his shot was ruled out by VAR for offside at the 59th.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker nevertheless tried to make the net tremble, recalling the moments when he dominated European defenses. Despite his experience, the chances resulted in a shot over the bar and a disallowed goal.
Coach's decision
Clearly frustrated by his lack of success, Ronaldo handed his place to Gonçalo Ramos at the 68th minute. Jorge Jesus, the 72‑year‑old manager, explained his decision by stating that the player could no longer contribute much more offensively and that the remaining 25 minutes required a faster defensive profile.
Jorge Jesus starts with João Félix to open the scoring against Wales
Reactions and stakes
The debate over Cristiano Ronaldo's legitimacy in the national team is intensifying, with a portion of the Portuguese public remaining loyal to the legend while a growing fringe of critics believes his presence hinders the emergence of a more dynamic generation. Some media accuse him of wanting to “kill” him in the media, but his dressing room continues to back him.
After the match, Joao Neves reminded that CR7's contribution goes beyond his mere statistics, stating: “He was excellent and the goals will come.” He emphasized that the squad’s confidence remains intact.
João Félix, candidate to succeed Ronaldo under Jorge Jesus
This premature substitution and the coach’s candid explanations risk reigniting tensions around Ronaldo’s status, while the captain will need to quickly find his way back to goal‑scoring to appease the skeptics. Portugal’s next challenge will depend on the captain’s ability to rediscover his striker instinct.