Portugal head coach Fernando Santos revealed that the role of Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup is to be defined after the superstar was dropped. The 37-year-old sat on the sidelines as his replacement, Goncalo Ramos, scored three goals in the 6-1 victory to go to the quarterfinals against Morocco. Ronaldo eventually entered as a 74th-minute substitute with Portugal leading 5-1, having not started at a major tournament since Euro 2008. Ronaldo, whose departure from Manchester United last month was marred by controversy, has occasionally put a pall over his team’s performance in Qatar, where his manager voiced displeasure with the way he reacted to being replaced against South Korea.
“It still needs to be defined what that is. I have known him since he was 19 years old, and we have always had a tight friendship,” Portugal head coach Fernando Santos said about Cristiano Ronaldo. “Ronaldo and I only ever perceive our relationship in terms of what we must do during the game; it never takes a human-to-human approach. He is a crucial player for the team to have, and I will always keep that in mind when performing my job.”
“Every player on the bench is useful, even if they are not in the starting lineup. There is no doubt that Ronaldo will be involved. As one of the top athletes in the world, this player’s past should be considered. As captain, all we need to do is consider the team as a whole,” he added.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is the teammate who is speaking to me. Our boss continually makes an effort to help. I must put forth my best effort while awaiting the coach’s decision regarding whether or not I will start the upcoming game,” his replacement Goncalo Ramos said.
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