Fernando Santos has revealed he has not spoken to Cristiano Ronaldo since the end of the 2022 World Cup, during which the Portugal captain was sacked. The pair worked together in the national team for eight years and won the European Cup together in 2016, but Ronaldo was on the bench at the World Cup in Qatar as Morocco eliminated Portugal in the quarter-finals.
Santos, who recently left Poland after a poor start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, said he would not change anything he did during the World Cup. Coming back from Qatar,” Santos told Aboula.
“My relationship with Cristiano is very strong. Personally and professionally. We met at Sporting Lisbon when he was 19 and our relationship was strengthened from the moment we joined the national team. We always got along well. . The expressions are a bit intense, but almost like a father and son, or a younger brother and older brother.
“However, I made a tactical decision in Qatar, for which you need to understand some background. I have already said that he is the best in the world, but that moment was very difficult for him. The second half of 2022, even from From a personal point of view, he also had a bad six months. He didn’t participate in United’s pre-season games and even when he returned to the team, he was barely used.”
Ronaldo started all three of Portugal’s group games but lacked match fitness despite scoring in the opening game against Ghana. “Physically, he’s always been at the top of his game,” Santos said. “No one takes better care of his body than Cristiano. If we did a test, he would come out on top. If he were to do a sprint against other runners, or an endurance test, he would probably win. But he lacks rhythm. “We Try to get him into the pre-World Cup games and then get him into a rhythm in the first game of the World Cup. “
Things came to a head when Ronaldo was substituted against South Korea and left the pitch with his finger to his lips. Santos said the next day: “Have I seen the images? Yes, I don’t like it, not at all. I don’t like it. I really don’t like it. But from that moment on, everything about this issue It’s all over. These issues were resolved behind closed doors.”
Ronaldo then started as a substitute in the next two games, including the quarter-final defeat to Morocco. “I would have made the same decision today,” Santos said. “It was a tactical decision. I discussed it with my team and thought it was the right decision. It was not an easy decision but it was the right decision. But I always believed he could come on and make a difference. Contest.”
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Against Morocco, Portugal lost 0-1. Ronaldo came on as a substitute in the 51st minute, but failed to reverse the situation. However, he is still playing for Portugal and has started seven of the eight games in the Euro 2024 qualifiers under new manager Roberto Martinez, only missing out against Luxembourg. Missed the game due to suspension.