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Portugal coach: it’s time to leave Ronaldo

Portugal national soccer team manager Fernando Santos confirmed on Friday that star Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t happy to bench him against Switzerland in the final price tag, but he didn’t threaten to leave the ‘Seleção Europe’ pitch in the World Cup of Qatar 2022 .

In the Final Price match against Switzerland, the unimaginable happened when Santos kept Ronaldo (37), the five-time best player in the world, out of the starting lineup, and the match ended in a crushing Portuguese 6- 1.

Ironically, his replacement, young Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos (21), managed to steal the limelight from him by scoring a stunning hat-trick, his first at this World Cup, making him the second youngest player to do so in the knockout stages after the legend Pele in 1958.

During a press conference in Doha on the eve of the meeting with Morocco in the quarterfinals, Santos touched on this topic, saying: Ronaldo and I had a conversation. It would have been a shame if we hadn’t had a conversation. Ever since I took the training I always have. I talk and strengthen my relationship with them.

He added: I won’t say that I do it with every player, but he is the captain of the national team and because that is what he represents for Portuguese football and for the Portuguese people.

Santos continued that conversation: It was match day after lunch. I haven’t talked to him before. I explained to him why he wasn’t going to participate in the main. I explained not to be surprised, invited him to my office and told him to listen. This is my strategy. I thought the match was going to be tough and wanted to keep him for the second half.

And he added: He was not happy with this decision. And he said to me, “Do you really think that’s a good idea?” I explained my point of view to him and he accepted my decision.

Portuguese newspaper Record reported on Thursday that Ronaldo had threatened to leave after an intense conversation with Santos.

And while the local game federation has denied this news outright, Santos said: He never told me he wanted to leave the national team. It’s time to stop this discussion. Ronaldo was the one who started warming up with his teammates and celebrated all the goals. He invited his teammates to shake hands with the fans. It’s time to leave Ronaldo alone, he is very important for Portuguese football.

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