Tuesday was the first time since 2008 that Cristiano Ronaldo had been left on the bench for a major tournament.
Portugal boss Fernando Santos hinted after his side’s dominant win that Ronaldo may face a struggle to regain his place in the starting line-up following Ramos’ man-of-the-match performance.
“That is still something that has to be defined. I have a very close relationship with him, I’ve known him since he was 19 at Sporting [Lisbon].
“Ronaldo and I never misinterpret the human and personal aspect with that of manager and player,” Santos said.
“I will always consider that he is a very important player to have in the team. [The matter] is something that is finished and solved. It is also important to look at this player’s history, he is one of the best players in the world.
“Therefore, all we have to do is come in collectively. We wanted a team that played with a lot of fluidity. Cristiano is more fixed, he stays in a more determined role towards the box. Goncalo has different characteristics.
“He is very dynamic and that’s what he ended up showing us. All the players who are with me can be used and if they are not in the starting XI they can play later.”
Portugal will face Morocco in the quarter-finals on Saturday, looking to book a place in the semi-finals for the first time since the 2006 World Cup.
Whether Ronaldo plays a part in that game remains to be seen.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
