Cristiano Ronaldo responds after Portugal manager explains decision to bench Man Utd icon

Cristiano Ronaldo appeared at ease after he was overlooked for a starting role by Portugal boss Fernando Santos.

The Euro 2016 champions drew 1-1 with neighbours Spain in Seville on Thursday night. Ronaldo was sent on for the final half hour after being named on the bench and helped his country draw level. Ricardo Horta equalised with eight minutes left after Alvaro Morata had opened the scoring for the hosts.

Ronaldo is so often used from the start and the decision to leave him on the bench did raise eyebrows. Portugal, who won the Nations League back in 2019, instead began with Andre Silva leading their attack, but Santos insists the players he selected suited their game plan.

He said: "They often ask why he is a starter... Because I understood that for this game it was better to use the players I used, it was an option for the beginning of this game, for the way we wanted to play and approach the match, it seemed to us that this was the the best solution.

"It has nothing to do with Cristiano's value, it's not even about that. And it was also always counting that he could enter the second half and solve the game. That was it."

Ronaldo has been known to show his displeasure when not selected - something we've seen last season at Manchester United. However, speaking after the stalemate, the forward aired no issues with the selection choices and instead underlined the nation's desire to claim the Nations League once again.

He said: "The League of Nations is a competition that will forever be linked to the National Team, the first to win this trophy. Our start in this edition, with an important draw in Spain, renews our ambition. The same as always, the same that moves us and unites us at all times: winning for