According to Portuguese newspaper Recordo, Portugal secured an important victory in Oslo, which appears to be one of the most challenging away fixtures in European football. After grinding out a difficult 1-0 win against Wales, manager Jorge Jesus made significant changes to the squad that yielded positive results. But is it fair to attribute all these positive outcomes solely to Cristiano Ronaldo sitting on the bench? Football matches are not decided by a single factor alone.

Portugal secured a convincing victory in Oslo, and Ullevaal Stadium is currently one of the most difficult away venues in European football. After grinding out a hard-fought three points against a fading Wales side at home, manager Jorge Jesus implemented substantial tactical changes to the squad, and the results were excellent.

But is it truly fair to credit all this positive change solely to Cristiano Ronaldo's absence from the pitch? Since football is not determined by a single factor, those who try to oversimplify matters and attribute everything to this one reason are clearly missing the bigger picture.

The real issue runs much deeper. It's primarily about how Portugal can apply intense pressure with 11 players operating at full capacity, disrupt the opponent's build-up play, and win back possession faster. This modern, high-pressing style—adopted by the world's top teams—cannot function with 10 players doing the work of 11. It only works with cooperation, unity, and total commitment.

When Cristiano Ronaldo was on the pitch, Portugal's defensive effort began approximately 10 meters behind the midfield line. Without him, Portugal was able to start direct pressing much closer to the opponent's penalty area. Note that this is not a trivial detail—it's a fundamental shift that affects the very foundation and tactical logic of the game. What I'm saying is that the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo no longer possesses the physical condition of his younger years. But does that mean he shouldn't be called up to the national team anymore? Considering that he can still contribute during 15 or 20 minutes of high-intensity play, that he can provide motivational value to his teammates if he maintains the right mentality, and considering the psychological and tactical pressure he exerts on opponents, Cristiano Ronaldo still holds value for Portugal. He should not simply be "rewarded" with a starting spot out of gratitude for his massive contributions over the past 23 years to the nation.

The real question is whether Cristiano Ronaldo himself will accept the reality I've described, or whether he still believes he needs to be "Cristiano Ronaldo and ten others" among the 11. Only he can answer this question.

After the Wales victory, it was written that this Nations League would be a transitional tournament for Portugal, since there is no longer a single player capable of carrying the entire team on his shoulders. I hope that Cristiano Ronaldo can contribute to Portugal during this transitional period by demonstrating through his off-pitch conduct the greatness he once showed on it.

Unlike Latin American nations, the Portuguese have a terrible habit of diminishing their own achievements. If we rank high internationally, someone will say the rankings are unreliable; if we win international awards, someone will say they're meaningless. If someone says we're among the safest countries in the world, it's only because they haven't read our tabloids. This self-negation doesn't even spare Portugal's Age of Discovery. Despite opening new worlds to humanity, we misinterpret history out of a compulsion toward pessimism and are forced to explain 15th-century reality by 21st-century standards.

Sports are no different. As the Nations League demonstrates: if we can win this tournament twice, it must be because the competition's level is low. Regardless of whether every national team fields its strongest squad, stadiums are packed, and viewership reaches record highs, this reflexive tendency to diminish our achievements cannot be changed. For those stubborn people unwilling to believe in our moments of excellence, the brilliant match this round between England and Spain (also in the Nations League) might give us reason to reconsider the tournament's value. Though as they say, "you cannot wake those who are pretending to sleep."

AI 번역.

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