Qatar World Cup 2022: Portugal boss Fernando Santos boldly decided to drop Cristiano Ronaldo from its pre-quarters game against Switzerland on Tuesday. Meanwhile, here's how the pundits and Portuguese players reacted to it.
Football fans were shocked after Portugal head coach Fernando Santos decided to drop sensational striker Cristiano Ronaldo from the starting XI for its pre-quarters contest of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar against Switzerland at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on Tuesday. What was even more intriguing was that it turned out to be a bold but fair decision, as the Navigators pulled off a sensational 6-1 conquest, primarily aided by Goncalo Ramos's hat-trick. While fans were split with the decision to bench Ronnie, here's how his teammates and pundits reacted, thanks to FotMob.
Gary Neville: "This manager [Santos] has had an unbelievable relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo for eight years. There are a lot of fans of Cristiano Ronaldo who aren't willing to tell him the truth, and I think he does need to listen to the truth. It's becoming a ragged end. The irritability, the stomping around, the sulking… it's got to stop because it doesn't reflect well on him."
Bruno Fernandes: "We won the first two games with Cristiano in the first XI," the midfielder said. If Cristiano had played, he could have scored three goals, and nobody would be talking about Cristiano on the bench. Cristiano is doing his job, his part, and he's happy with the result because the goal for everyone is to go as far as possible."
Ramos: "He's [Ronaldo] the captain, he's the leader, and we always look forward to playing side by side with him."
Joao Felix: "It was a great game for the whole team. We started well from the first minute. We played a complete game, and it's harder for someone to beat us when it's like that. Whether Cristiano is there or not, the important thing is the team. The team also plays well when Ronaldo is there."
Pepe: "He [Ronaldo] knows perfectly well that the most important thing is 'us'. What happened today was the coach's choice and must be respected."
Santos: "I already answered in yesterday's press conference [regarding Ronaldo]; we have no problem. I have a strong relationship with him, and I always have. I have known him since he was young at Sporting [Lisbon], and then it developed in the national team. This relationship only developed. We've been friends for years, and these things don't affect us."