Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal fell against Spain on Tuesday.

Tuesday night marked the conclusion of Portugal's participation in the 2022 UEFA Nations League, and the team's final game was a loss. Cristiano Ronaldo once again failed to make an impression.

The goal scored by Alvaro Morata with two minutes remaining was enough for Spain to claim first place in Group 2 of League A, moving them ahead of Portugal by one point. A Seleço's captain and the player with the most goals scored in the history of international football are both held by Ronaldo.

However, he has not been performing well at all this season, as he has only scored one goal for Manchester United across all competitions. In spite of his poor performance, he has maintained his position on the national team; however, the amount of pressure exerted on him to perform well on the international stage is increasing.

A prominent Portuguese publication known as A Bola advocated for Ronaldo to be benched prior to the match against Spain. The article stated that Ronaldo is "losing his influence" and that he should have his "game volume decreased." However, the manager of the national team, Fernando Santos, chose to disregard the report and start Ronaldo in the forward position.

It was a choice that did not pay off though, as Ronaldo endured a dreadful night as Portugal suffered their first home competitive defeat to Spain in more than 80 years. This was the first time Portugal had lost to Spain in their own stadium in a competitive match. Beginning shortly before the half-hour mark, he was presented with a number of opportunities to get his name on the scoresheet.

The home team made a fantastic sweeping play that allowed them to break into the penalty area of the Spanish team, but the move failed after a heavy first touch from Ronaldo, which allowed the defense of the visitors to clear the ball. Two minutes into the second half, Ronaldo had another opportunity to score, but this time he was unable to beat Unai Simon from close range and put the ball in the back of the net.

Ronaldo missed several chances to beat Unai Simo.

Shortly after that, Spain became open once more, and Ronaldo found himself facing Simon in a one-on-one match. However, yet another heavy touch gave the defender time to reach back and knock the ball away before he could shoot it.

After Morata had given Spain the lead with two minutes remaining, Portugal continued to press forward, giving Ronaldo another enormous opportunity right at the end of the match. However, Spain was able to pull off an impressive victory thanks to Simon's save on his shot from a difficult angle.

It is not even close to the ideal preparation for the Manchester derby on Sunday, and it is most definitely not what United manager Erik ten Hag hoped to see from the superstar player. The Dutchman has already insisted that he will not treat Ronaldo any differently than he does the other players under his management at Old Trafford. Ronaldo is a player for Manchester United.

"I am going to become his friend. On occasion, I will serve as his instructor. It really depends on the circumstances. It is common knowledge that he was absent from the preseason, and it is impossible to skip the preseason. Particularly with regard to the game that we engage in," Ten Hag remarked earlier this month.

"The style of play is completely different from what it was like the year before. It depends, requires cooperation, and necessitates a specific positioning, both in and out of possession. And there is also the issue of physical fitness.

"We are happy with him, and he is happy to be here, and we want to work together to make this season a success. We have said from the beginning that we planned with him. It's not how I see things; it's how you see things. We are all on the same page at this point.

The training makes it abundantly clear that he possesses the capabilities, as you can see. He will be able to blend in because... There is no need for me to explain. Outstanding performer. He will be able to function effectively in any structure or mode. Because of this, we are having this conversation; as I said before, we are on the same page. He is aware of the requirements that must be met."