Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays in the Saudi Professional League, has worked under a number of coaches during his illustrious career and achieved great success
Former Portugal coach Fernando Santos has revealed that he is not currently speaking to Cristiano Ronaldo following his altercation at last year’s World Cup.
Santos shocked global football when he omitted Ronaldo from the starting XI for Portugal’s last 16 match against Switzerland. The decision proved to be the right one, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s replacement Goncalo Ramos scoring a hat-trick in the team’s 6-1 victory.
Ronaldo also started as a substitute in Portugal’s quarter-final loss to Morocco. Santos’ decision to sack Ronaldo dominated headlines at the time and appeared to have affected their relationship, with the pair no longer sending each other Christmas cards.
Santos and Ronaldo were “very close” during the manager’s time in Portugal. Santos, who resigned from his post after the World Cup in Qatar, claimed Ronaldo was like a “son” to him. The pair enjoyed great success together, winning Euro 2016 in France.
Santos revealed the full circumstances surrounding the breakdown of his relationship with Ronaldo in an interview with Portuguese outlet A Bola. He said: “That’s another thing… we don’t talk anymore… I don’t know what it is… we’ve been since I came back (home) from Qatar Never said a word.”
Santos insisted their spat had “nothing to do with the Swiss game”. The two first met when Santos became manager of Sporting Lisbon in June 2003, and Ronaldo moved to Manchester United two months later to begin his journey to superstardom.
The Portuguese coach added: “The expression is a bit strong, but almost like a father and son, or a younger brother and an older brother. Our relationship is very close, very strong, both professionally and personally.”
Do you think Fernando Santos was right to drop Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup in Qatar? Let us know in the comments below!
Santos insists his decision to sack Ronaldo was “strategic” and had a lot to do with his problems at Old Trafford. After Ek ten Hag was appointed in May 2022, the veteran struggled to break into United’s starting lineup and was eventually released during the World Cup.
Santos believes Ronaldo is “out of rhythm” in the World Cup opener as he only scored one penalty in the 3-2 win over Ghana. The coach has no regrets about ditching Ronaldo and insists he would make “the same decision” again.
TNT Sports lets you watch the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, Serie A and more. You can also pay a monthly fee to watch the hottest matches in boxing, UFC, WWE, and exclusive MLB events. You can watch TNT sports on BT, EE, Sky and Virgin Media.
Access discovery+ Premium at no additional cost from £29.99 per month
TNT Sports
Santos also highlighted the tragedy of Ronaldo’s son Angel, who died during childbirth in April 2022. He added: “It’s something that none of us wants to have to experience when something like this happens to your home and your family. That moment really affected him.”
Although the two haven’t spoken in a while, Santos hopes they can reconcile soon. He said: “From my side the relationship is the same, he is still like a son or a brother to me. The day the phone rings, he always knows I am here. That is guaranteed.”
Join our new WhatsApp community!Click this link Receive your daily dose mirror football content. We also provide community members with special offers, promotions and advertising from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check it out.If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Statement.