Jorge Jesus explains decision to substitute Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal win over Wales

Ronaldo endured a remarkably difficult outing during Portugal's narrow 1-0 Nations League victory over Wales on Thursday. The 41-year-old forward struggled to make a positive impact and missed a massive opportunity to find the back of the net.

Benefitting from a brilliant pass provided by midfield team-mate Ruben Neves, Ronaldo failed to convert what appeared to be a straightforward finish. As a direct result of his struggles, Portugal manager Jesus opted to make a decisive change. The veteran forward was withdrawn in the 68th minute of the match.

Jesus did not shy away from discussing his decision to substitute his captain. Speaking directly to Canal11after the final whistle, the Portugal boss provided a brutally honest assessment of Ronaldo's physical levels. The manager explained that the tight fixture required a very different tactical approach to secure the three points.

"The match demanded this change," Jesus stated when asked about the high-profile second-half substitution. "There were 25 minutes left and I wanted to bring on a quick player in the first defensive line, capable of pressing the two central defenders."

Ronaldo, who boasts an incredible 146 goals across his 234 appearances for the national side, simply ran out of energy. Jesus admitted that his star player was no longer capable of executing the required high press from the front.

"Cris couldn't do it anymore," the former Benfica coach explained. "I knew offensively, he couldn't do much more."

Following their hard-fought victory against Wales, Portugal must quickly turn their attention towards their upcoming international fixtures. The Selecao are scheduled to face Norway this Sunday as they look to build further momentum in the Nations League.

Just four days later, Jesus and his squad will travel to take on Denmark in another crucial away encounter. Finally, the team will conclude this incredibly busy international break with a second clash against Norway on October 4. It remains to be seen exactly how heavily Ronaldo will feature throughout these upcoming tests.