Cristiano Ronaldo seems to have developed a likeness for the tunnel leading to the dressing room, as he was once again seen in a hurry to walk off after Portugal’s Round of 16 win over Switzerland. Portugal coach Fernando Santos had sent shock waves across the fans after he benched Ronaldo for the crucial game, and named World Cup debutant Goncalo Ramos up front. His gamble worked nicely for the 2016 EURO champions, as they tore apart Switzerland 6-1 to claim the last quarterfinals seat.
However, Ronaldo had to watch from the bench as his team scored for fun against a Switzerland side which looked like it didn’t turn up for the game. Santos then finally decided to bring on the 37-year-old forward in the 73rd minute, when his team had already put the game to bed with a 5-1 lead. Ronaldo, who was desperate to score his first ever World Cup knockout goal failed to get on the scoresheet in the closing stages, as Rafael Leao got the sixth and final goal for Portugal.
Santos explains Cristiano Ronaldo decision as the forward expressed his anger over being benched
Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t had a World Cup to remember for himself, with just one goal in four games now. Moreover, his affair with either starting on the bench or getting subbed-off in the game, which began at Manchester United, has continued with the national team as well. While he did start all three of Portugal group games at the tournament, Fernando Santos took him off in all of those.
However, the Portugal manager rather looked in a hurry to do so against South Korea, as he ditched his routine of replacing Ronaldo in the final minutes, by taking off the forward right after the hour mark. The free agent was clearly not happy with his manager’s decision, as he appeared to shout at him while coming off, which he later explained was misunderstood as he rather had a spat with a South Korean player who asked him to get off the pitch quickly.
But he reportedly had a heated exchange with Santos as well, who had revealed in the press conference that followed, he had sorted it out with his captain. And as evident, Ronaldo paid the price for his conduct as he was demoted to the bench in an all important clash. The five-time Ballon d’Or, however, didn’t appear to learn his lesson, as he stormed-off the tunnel after the full time whistle against Switzerland while his teammates stayed back on the pitch to celebrate their progression to the quarterfinals with their fans.
Fernando Santos would have taken the note of the same, as he now prepares for his team face a solid Morocco side in the last-8 who downed Spain in their Round of 16 clash to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in their history at the competition. And its uncertain whether Cristiano Ronaldo will start after his replacement Ramos fired a hat-trick in his debut World Cup game which came under immense pressure. Meanwhile, Santos explaining his decision to bench Ronaldo, told talkSPORT:
Portugal will now play their quarterfinal game in a bid to reach the semifinals against Morocco on December 10. With his team in a rampant form without their talismanic forward Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Santos will have a tough call to make against the African side. On the other hand, the ex-Man United player is still waiting to score a knockout goal of his World Cup career, despite playing in a fifth tournament. He will hope to get it in Qatar this time, which probably is his last ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup finals.