Qatar World Cup 2022: Can Portugal win the title without Cristiano Ronaldo? Michel Salgado retorts

Portuguese sensation Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped from Portugal's starting XI during the 2022 FIFA World Cup pre-quarters clash in Qatar against Switzerland, which the former won terrifically 6-1. Although he was introduced as a substitute, he failed to get into the scoring sheet. Consequently, it led to a debate about whether it would be a common trend for Portuguese head coach Fernando Santos for the rest of the tournament. Ronaldo has struggled in terms of form this season, failing to make it to Manchester United's starting XI and could not make regular impacts, leading to his departure from the club. Meanwhile, former Real Madrid defender Michel Salgado has commented if the Navigators can win its maiden WC title without him.

Speaking with Stats Perform, Salgado remarked, "We all need to face changes, it's life, and he is being put under pressure constantly. But he needs to live with it. We all went through that. At one point, we were super important in our careers, and there is a change at some point."

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"You can see another guy coming, that they can play without you, and you realise that they play without you and win without you. But what Cristiano means for football is huge. We will miss him. I know him well, and he will not put his head down. He is going to be still thinking today that he is going to score the World Cup-winning goal and that Portugal is going to be champions with him, and no one will convince him otherwise," added Salgado.

However, Salgado still feels that Ronaldo can play an impactful role in the WC remainder, as he says, "I think we need to leave him alone. Portugal won clearly with him. The alternative of using another player instead of him worked for the coach. He had the personality to look for solutions without Ronaldo."

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"But, if I were a manager, and I believe Fernando [Santos] knows it, you need to count on Ronaldo if you want to win this World Cup. That is clear. What is needed is for Ronaldo to mentally find his place, and keep focused on the national team, come what may. But, it is very obviously a moment of change for him," concluded Salgado.