Cristiano Ronaldo denied to the Portuguese media his contract with the Saudi Arabian club.
Portugal head coach Fernando Santos made a tough decision by leaving the team captain Cristiano Ronaldo out of the starting line-up in the Switzerland quarter-final. The risky game paid off, because the Benfica striker was assigned to the top Goncalo Ramos scored three goals in a 6–1 win.
When Ronaldo finally entered the field in the 74th minute, the fans rewarded him with a standing ovation. However, Ronaldo did not stay after the game to give back to the fans for the support he received. Without Ronaldo, who played goals was seen walking alone to the suit shelterwhile other teammates thanked the supporters on the field.
Santos himself doesn’t yet know in which role Ronaldo will be seen during the rest of the tournament. Ramos, who made a top performance, will probably take Ronaldo’s place in the quarter-finals against Morocco as well, which puts the head coach in a difficult situation.
The story continues after the picture.
Cristiano Ronaldo was surrounded by a group of photographers in green vests at the opening ceremony. EPA / AOP
Before the Switzerland match, Portugal played in a prestigious tournament without Ronaldo in the starting line-up for the last time in the 2008 European Championship.
Ronaldo’s popularity was already conveyed in the opening ceremony of the Switzerland game. Cameras surrounded him as he sat on the bench listening to the national anthems. Usually the cameras point to the players in the starting line-up, but now the most important person in the match was sitting on the bench.
– This proves what a great person he is. Everyone wanted to record his reaction to it (the bench command), Sweden’s TV4 Kim Kallstrom said in a TV broadcast.
“I would be angry”
Usually, photographers point their cameras at the players in the starting line-up, but now it was the other way around. PDO
In the post-match press conference, Santos said he still has a close relationship with Ronaldo. Santos feels that Ronaldo is an important player for the team.
Luotsi dodged a question asking him if Ronaldo will be in the starting line-up for the next game.
Ronaldo continued his special activity also in the stadium’s interior. The captain came to the press conference with a big smile. The superstar agreed to answer only one question: Was he happy?
– Of course, of course. Portugal won, Ronaldo answered succinctly.
Instead, a former Man United teammate Bruno Fernandes hinted that the superstar was not happy about the bench command.
– Do you think that anyone would be happy about being benched? I don’t think Cristiano was terribly happy. If the coach put me on the bench in the next game, I would be angry, Fernandes shot after the game.
Disputed by Saudi Arabia
Ronaldo is known as a player who speaks his mind directly if something doesn’t please him. That’s why his career ran aground with Manchester United when his role in the team started to become small.
The superstar, who became an unemployed job seeker in the middle of the World Cup tournament, was rumored to have negotiated a contract with Saudi Arabian Al-Nassr. Ökyseura would have offered him various fees totaling around 200 million euros per season.
Ronaldo quickly responded to the Portuguese media For the record After the Switzerland game, that there is no contract with Saudi Arabia.
– No, that’s not true, Ronaldo acknowledged in passing.
Ronaldo said he was happy because Portugal won. EPA / AOP
Sources: Expressen, Record, Sky Sports