There was a comic-strip feel to another eventful evening in the kingdom of Cristiano Ronaldo. Where to start? It was the 67th minute when his No 7 went up on the fourth official's board, the cue to remove the captain's armband from his left bicep before departing to a universal ovation, but for the pocket of Wales supporters.
The referee, Donatas Rumsas, hurried him off the pitch but Ronaldo, his hair glazed copper, was presumably ruminating on a series of missed chances, a sitter from a few yards at the start of the second half, and his disallowed goal, after skating offside to latch on to a Bruno Fernandes pass. The grandiose "Siu" celebration went to waste, though try telling that to the locals who worship him.
In the end, Portugal began their defence of the Nations League with a narrow victory courtesy of another Al-Nassr forward, João Felix's deflected first-half strike from the edge of the box beating Danny Ward in goal.
Many of the Wales squad have been lightly raced of late, but they could have snatched a late equaliser when Brennan Johnson hit the crossbar and Rúben Dias desperately denied Lewis Koumas, who again impressed Craig Bellamy. For Wales, this was an exhaustive physical effort and afterwards the head coach, citing his own experiences as a player, referenced how mentally sapping games against elite opposition can prove. "I needed an ice pack on my head," Bellamy said.
All eyes were on Ronaldo, back playing in Lisbon for the first time since last October, at the José Alvalade Stadium where he made his name as a teenager. The 41-year-old started, as Jorge Jesus promised he would, and despite Ronaldo talking of a new era, different tactics and even a different language, alluding to Jesus's predecessor Roberto Martínez, this all felt rather run of the mill.
Rúben Neves, another player in Saudi, replacing João Neves in Portugal's three-man midfield was the only change from their World Cup last-16 exit by Spain in Dallas.
Ronaldo finished with 27 touches, the fewest of any of Portugal's outfield starters, and looked to the heavens after fluffing the best of the hosts' chances to extend their lead four minutes into the second half.
Neves put in a delicious cross from the right flank but Ronaldo, unmarked and alone with his thoughts in the six-yard box, shanked the ball over off his left shin. Sunday's visit to Norway is his next opportunity to edge towards his 1,000 goals target. "I took him out 25 minutes before the end, because I thought it was important to have a fresh player on the pitch," Jesus said. "I knew that Cris could stay a little longer, five or 10 minutes, but I was going to take him out anyway, I had planned it." In a previous answer, he added: "Some players who are important were not up to their quality."
Jesus, who twice managed Benfica and spent three years here in charge of Sporting, knows all about Ronaldo, having spent last season coaching him at Al-Nassr and defended the striker on the eve of this game, describing him as a symbol of Portugal. It is hard to disagree on that front. Ronaldo-mania is omnipresent in Lisbon, chiefly inside the official Portugal stores in Praça da Figueira, the city's downtown, where you can buy CR7-branded briefs, face masks, action figures, lanyards, Lego, and even a Ronaldo boxset celebrating his time at Sporting.
Bellamy accepted Wales would suffer against a starting XI boasting five Champions League winners and three Ballon d'Or nominees, but began confidently. Bellamy does not have the same quality at his disposal, with Harry Wilson, Wales's best performer in recent years, and Karl Darlow, these days the undisputed No 1, among those absent through injury. A harmless Ben Cabango header was Wales's sole effort at goal in the first half and they did not trouble Diogo Costa. "He practically didn't have to touch the ball," Jesus said of his goalkeeper.
Ronaldo spurned four decent chances in the first half alone, the best of which was from about 12 yards and left him scuffing his boots in frustration. Then, after a predictably excitable buildup, there was a free-kick flighted into Wales's yellow wall. He should have done better when Fernandes presented him with his first opening amid huge cheers from the locals, but his touch was rusty and the ball bobbled off his left foot, and he later volleyed wide from an awkward angle.
Wales were valiant. Jay Dasilva was excellent at left-back. Ben Davies, a Wales centurion and always a dependable performer for his country, marshalled the defence on his second appearance of the season, his only minutes for Tottenham coming against a Charlton B team in the Carabao Cup. Ward's sole appearance was in the same competition for Wrexham six weeks ago.
Portugal racked up 23 shots but recorded only five on target and Wales will take plenty of confidence from this slender defeat. "I'm fully aware of who we were playing and what their value is," Bellamy said, claiming the value of Portugal's squad totals £1.4bn. "But the positive I'm coming away with is: I think there's more [to come from us]. I'm beyond proud. We showed a big heart."