AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Portugal's Football Federation (FPF) have denied media reports that captain Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to leave the national team during the World Cup after coach Fernando Santos dropped him for their last-16 win over Switzerland.
Portugal must have seen Brazil’s emphatic drubbing of South Korea on Monday and thought, “that’s it?”
Without Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting 11 for its knockout round tie against Switzerland, Portugal was allowed to breathe going forward and discovered its creative side, without having the attacking muzzle that is Manchester United’s newest abdication.
It was a long shot when the tournament began, but the answer to "can Messi face Ronaldo in World Cup 2022 final" is suddenly somewhat plausible with both Argentina and Portugal reaching the quarterfinals on opposite sides of the bracket.
That means Messi and Ronaldo both need to win just two more games to reach the final at Lusail Iconic Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 18. Here's how it's to be done.
Argentina's route to the final
Antes de su partido de octavos de final ante Suiza, el técnico de Portugal Fernando Santos sorprendió al mundo anunciando que Cristiano Ronaldo no sería titular. No porque estuviera lesionado, sino que por simple y llana decisión técnica.
La ausencia de CR7, sin embargo, no sería problema. Su reemplazante, Gonçalo Ramos, justificaría luego la controversial decisión de su entrenador, marcando el primer hat trick del Mundial y guiando la clasificación de los lusos a los cuartos de final del torneo, donde enfrentarán a Marruecos.
Portugal manager Fernando Santos made the incredibly bold decision to bench Cristiano Ronaldo for his team’s 6-1 victory vs. Switzerland in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. Taking Ronaldo’s place was 21-year-old Benfica talent Gonçalo Ramos.
The rest is history.
Ramos scored a hat trick and added an assist in a dominant performance. Ronaldo who?
The rumor for why CR7 was benched is for a spat he had with South Korea’s Cho Gue-sung when being substituted out of Portugal’s final group stage game.
El árbitro mexicano César Arturo Ramos volverá a cruzarse en el camino de Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ramos fue designado para dirigir el Portugal vs. Suiza de los octavos de final del Mundial y su nominación de inmediato hizo recordar aquella vez que el silbante debió callar los airados reclamos de CR7 con una merecida tarjeta amarilla, en Rusia 2018.
Hace cuatro años, Portugal quedó eliminada del Mundial en los octavos de final, luego de caer 2-1 frente a la selección de Uruguay.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Speculation regarding the future of Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and his outburst following his substitution against South Korea were in sharp focus on Monday ahead of their World Cup last-16 game against Switzerland.
The forward, who left Manchester United by mutual consent last month following a controversial interview, was linked with a potential move to Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia but Portugal coach Fernando Santos said he knew nothing about it.
En el largo libro de récords de Cristiano Ronaldo, hoy se escribió una nueva marca: con su gol en la victoria 3-2 de Portugal sobre Ghana, el delantero se convirtió en el primer futbolista masculino en la historia en marcar un gol en cinco mundiales diferentes.
¡SIUUU!
El énfasis en masculino es importante que la brasileña Marta había hecho los mismo en mundiales femeninos.
DOHA - Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in five World Cups after netting a penalty in his side's opening Group H game against Ghana on Thursday.
He hit home in the 64th minute to give Portugal the lead after being tripped in the box.
PENALTY FOR PORTUGAL
Do you agree with the call? pic.twitter.com/ZYTaNTlnfE— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 24, 2022
After Saudi Arabia's historic upset of Argentina at the World Cup on Tuesday morning, Lionel Messi became the trending topic around the world with everyone only interested in discussing his performance and team's future. Cristiano Ronaldo can't be having that.