Cristiano Ronaldo is, was and always will be a figurehead for Portugal. "Worldwide", in his own words. CR7's star power is undeniable. Yet questions have been raised about the national team captain's footballing ability for several years.
Despite the criticism during the European Championship and the World Cup under Roberto Martinez, Ronaldo's time with the national team did not end in North America. Jorge Jesus made a point of reinforcing his captain's status at his first pre-match press conference, around 24 hours before beginning his first game as head coach.
That match began with Ronaldo in the starting XI and ended with Portugal beating Wales 1-0. At the final whistle, the captain's performance left one legitimate question: Had Portugal won with Ronaldo or despite him?
How did Ronaldo perform against Wales?
After elevating Portugal's name to unimaginable heights, the captain has every right to stick around. However, his performances still need analysis, especially as players capable of offering different qualities in attack are beginning to emerge for the national team.
Cristiano Ronaldo is chasing the 1,000th goal of his career and even celebrated against Wales, but his goal was ruled out for offside. That effort does not count among the statistics that do little to support the pro-CR7 argument.
In Jesus' first game in charge, Ronaldo spent 67 minutes on the pitch and received a rating of 7.3 from Flashscore. He was active in Portugal's attack, and it was not for a lack of attempts that the captain ended the game without scoring.
At Alvalade, Ronaldo had the most shots (7) and the most attempts on target (2), finishing the match with 1.03 xG - a figure that highlights the quality of the chances he had.
As Jesus had requested, the Al Nassr forward dropped back less often to receive the ball. That explains why he also had the most touches in the opposition box (8). However, aside from his lack of finishing, the numbers show a more limited influence in other areas of the game.
In addition to the missed scoring chance, he completed no dribbles, was caught offside three times, won one of the two duels he contested and completed 14 of his 17 attempted passes during the match.
How did Goncalo Ramos perform against Norway?
Given the tight schedule and the physical condition of a 41-year-old, it was only natural that Jesus decided to leave Ronaldo on the bench in the 2-1 win over Norway, just three days after the match at Alvalade. That had never been the case under Martinez.
It was expected that the Al Nassr player would feature against the Nordic side, with Jesus' plan to bring the captain on in the second half, depending on factors such as the pace of the game and the scoreline. However, he remained an unused substitute.
With Fabio Silva again unavailable, the starting berth fell to Goncalo Ramos. The European champion with Paris Saint-Germain started an official match for the first time since November 16th, 2025 and made an immediate impact, finding the back of the net, as he had on several previous occasions when named in the starting XI.
Nine of the 12 goals scored by the AC Milan forward came as a starter and, like Ronaldo, he also had a goal ruled out for offside in his first start under Jorge Jesus.
As well as his opportunistic and classy goal following Orjan Nyland's mistake, Ramos offered further evidence to put himself back in contention for a starting place with the national team.
It was a different type of match, one that may not have suited Ronaldo as well, particularly because of Portugal's deeper defensive line. Goncalo Ramos therefore ended with a lower Flashscore rating of 7.0, despite scoring.
Like Ronaldo, the former Benfica player also missed a clear-cut chance. However, he had considerably fewer shots (2) and touched the ball just twice in the Norwegian penalty area.
Although he completed fewer passes (9) than Ronaldo had in the previous game, Ramos made his mark defensively. The Milan forward contested 17 (!) duels, won seven - four of them in the air - and also stood out for ball recoveries (3), interceptions (2) and fouls committed (4).
The comparison between the forwards
Every analysis requires context, so this article should not be viewed as a duel between Ronaldo and Ramos. Instead, it is an analysis of what both players currently have to offer the national team.
Analysing the numbers and data from Opta, we can conclude that Ronaldo had a greater influence in the final third and looked for the opposition goal more often. Ramos, however, showed a greater willingness to contribute in other phases of play, offering something different to Jesus' team's collective game.
Alongside all the other factors, such as the tight schedule and age, Jesus' analysis should focus above all on the figures highlighted in this article. Ronaldo and Ramos have different qualities, and that should weigh on the head coach's mind, especially since no two football matches are the same.
In the media spotlight, the debate over who should lead Portugal's attack is back in full swing. However, after the game against Norway, Jesus has an opportunity to objectively assess the facts and make an informed decision, starting with the match against Denmark.