Just recently, history was made. Cristiano Ronaldo officially became the first soccer player in history to hit 900 goals.  After his historic goal against Croatia, the next stop to reach one step closer to his dream of 100 goals was Scotland. However, here’s the kicker: Roberto Martinez has decided not to start him in this game, which has raised several questions. But why though?

Is it an injury? Nope. CR7 is all good and was reported to have suffered no injuries against Croatia, and trained just fine with the team before facing Scotland. So why isn’t he starting? Looks like it’s more of a strategy move than anything else. It seems to be simply a decision to give CR7 a rest after he played 88 minutes last time out.

Ahead of the match, Roberto Martinez chatted in an interview about why he chose to bench Cristiano Ronaldo. He said, “It’s tactical. I want to spread the effort.” Furthermore, he added, “Cristiano was the player with the most sprints against Croatia and it’s just a question of protecting the player and having an option on the bench.” 

But despite him not starting, the 39-year-old is still on the bench! And all the signs point out that there are plans to bring him in as a sub later on. Also, in place of  CR7, it is Diogo Jota who received the nod from Martinez to start.

Portugal kicked off the Nations League with a strong start and snagged 3 points already! For Cristiano Ronaldo, this tournament feels super important after a summer of disappointment. It might just be his last shot at turning things around!

The high stakes of the Nations League for Cristiano Ronaldo

The recent summer was no doubt a rough one for Cristiano Ronaldo and his fans. He got picked for the Portugal squad for Euro 2024, but even before the tournament kicked off, there was plenty of chatter about it. Unfortunately, things just didn’t pan out for him. The striker couldn’t find the back of the net throughout the whole tournament, and Portugal didn’t get past the quarter-finals.

And when he headed back to club duty? Not that better. In the Saudi Super Cup final against Al Hilal, the Al Nassr striker did score a goal but still ended up on the losing side with a crushing 4-1 defeat. With two years until the next World Cup, there’s no guarantee he’ll get another shot at World Cup glory. Right now, though, all eyes are on the Nations League, that could be his last chance to snag one more trophy with Portugal and maybe even wrap up his legendary career with a storybook ending.

The good news is he’s already hit strong with a goal and a win in their first game. With Croatia, Scotland, and Poland in their group—and then more matches down the line—it’s gonna be an exciting journey ahead for Cristiano Ronaldo as he chases that dream again!