Ronaldo left the tunnel when his teammates celebrated the victory

After the match ended at the Lusail Iconic Stadium, the Portuguese players shared the joy with the fans with applause. Cristiano Ronaldo also raised his hand to greet the audience but did not linger on the field. He quietly left with a staff member into the changing room.

Ronaldo was the first substitute in a major tournament since Euro 2008 when Portugal played Switzerland on the evening of December 6. The 37-year-old star only entered the field in the 74th minute when the home team was leading 5-1. The person who made way for Ronaldo was Goncalo Ramos – the striker scored a hat-trick in this match.

During his time on the field, Ronaldo once put the ball in the net but was caught offside. In the 87th minute, another striker replaced Rafael Leao to set a victory like a tennis set for Portugal with a heart-stopping hit to the top corner.

According to Portuguese newspaper Desporto, Ronaldo congratulated all Portuguese members, especially Ramos juniors. He was also applauded by Vice President of the Portuguese Football Federation Joao Vieira Pinto on his way off the field. Ronaldo is said to have entered the dressing room before coach Fernando Santos.

Striker Ramos, who is only 21 years old, also supports Ronaldo. When asked about the Portuguese dressing room after reaching the quarter-finals, the Benfica striker said: "Ronaldo always encourages us. He is the captain, the leader that everyone wants to be with. To be honest, in a dream. In my wildest dreams, I didn't think I would play this match."

Portugal will rest for three days before playing Morocco in the quarter-finals. With the juniors in the attack are in high form, Ronaldo faces the risk of continuing to sit on the bench even though he has no physical problems.