Cristiano Ronaldo has been the talk of the town as they won the round of 16 without the help of the Portuguese legend. For many fans, it was shocking to see their favorite player sitting on the bench. But the major reason for him to sit on the sidelines remains his lackluster performances for his country. Portugal has come to lift the trophy for the first time in their football history, and the coach is ready to sit the legend down.
According to the Reports, Ronaldo has refused to train with substitutes and continues to train with the starters. In the last game, he spent most of his time on the bench to give a start to a younger and dynamic striker. Which turned out to be a great decision as Ramos scored a hat trick in the match. But after the game, the spot for the former Juventus player looks tight.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo End Up On The Bench In The Quarterfinals?
The Portuguese striker is digging his own career\’s grave after taking every action that goes against his own team. Similar events were happening at Manchester United. And his frustrations have followed him to the national team. It was for the first time that Ronaldo stayed on the bench since 2008 for his national side Portugal. Meanwhile, it looks like Goncalo Ramos will be Fernando Santos\’s first choice in the quarterfinals. However, a huge star like Cristiano can not be benched for long but will only be used as a substitute.
Ramos, the striker, used ahead of Ronaldo in the game against Switzerland, became the second youngest player to score in the World Cup. The youngest player still remains Ronaldo, the youngest to achieve in the Portuguese jersey. On the other hand, the main concern is the spot for Ronaldo, which a 21-year-old boy owns. It appears almost impossible for Ronaldo to get picked in the starting eleven. After the hat trick, Ramos is going to be the number-one choice as a striker.
Fernando Santos On Captain\’s Role In The Next Game
In the conference before the Switzerland-Portugal game, Santos did not clear about his intention against Ronaldo. The game ended with Ronaldo coming off the bench for only 15 minutes to play without any goals. A similar response came from the national head coach before the quarterfinals game. He said every player from the bench could be used if they are not in the starting IX. Santos also encourages his team to have a collective interest in the team.
The last game turned out to be a historic game for Portugal as it was the first time the team won by a huge margin. However, Portugal will now face the African side Morroco who beat Spain based on penalties. The Africans are a strong team collectively, as Hakini and Ziyech played their best game to reach the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Ronaldo will look to make his impact felt in his last World Cup within whatever time he gets from his coach.
