Cristiano Ronaldo's emotional Instagram post after storming off pitch in Serbia 2-2 Portugal

There was major controversy in Portugal's World Cup qualifying match with Serbia on Saturday evening.

Portugal were 2-0 up at half-time courtesy of Diogo Jota's brace.

But Serbia battled back and levelled the game 15 minutes after the restart, with Aleksandar Mitrović and Filip Kostić on the scoresheet.

Portugal thought they had won the game right at the end.

Cristiano Ronaldo's strike appeared to cross the line but the officials thought otherwise and a goal was not given.

Cristiano Ronaldo before Serbia vs Portugal

To say that the Juventus superstar was fuming would be an understatement.

The 36-year-old's protests saw him given a yellow card.

When he realised that they would not change their mind, he stormed off the pitch before the final whistle and threw his captain's armband on the ground.

Ronaldo has now spoken out in an emotional Instagram message.

"Being captain of the Portugal team is one of the greatest pride and privileges of my life. I always give and will give everything for my country, that will never change," he wrote.

"But there are difficult times to deal with, especially when we feel that an entire nation is being harmed. Lift your head and face the next challenge now! Come on, Portugal!"

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Fernando Santos, Portugal's manager, claimed that the referee apologised to him after the game.

"The referee afterwards saw what had happened and came to me to apologise for the mistake," he said, per Eurosport.

"I don't have an explanation [for the result]. I just can't bring myself. We studied Serbia. We knew how to play them, like we did in the first half. We knew they could change it up, and had the players to do it.

"Serbia started the first half well and scored. They tied the match but we reacted well, creating opportunities. At the end, the ball was half a metre in but it was not given. It would have been a just result if it counted.

"Of course, it does not make up for the fact that we didn't do well enough. But, if we had the ball in the goal, it should have counted.”