Ahead of tonight’s quarter-final clash with Morocco, Portugal are once again all about Cristiano Ronaldo. The superstar watched from the bench for 73 minutes as his team defeated Switzerland 6-1 in the round of 16. There was even speculation that the 37-year-old, who was probably extremely upset, would leave Qatar early. Coach Fernando Santos tried to calm the situation. “He never said he wanted to leave the team. It’s high time we ended this polemic,” said the 68-year-old, who also praised his captain’s behavior as a substitute. Ronaldo warmed up with his teammates, celebrated every goal and encouraged the team to thank the fans after the game. Of course he wasn’t happy with the decision, but he accepted it. A “normal conversation” was held.
Whether Ronaldo, who was not in the starting line-up for the first time since 2008, will attack again from the start or play again as a substitute, his coach left open the day before the quarter-finals. After all, his substitute Goncalo Ramos couldn’t have done any better against Switzerland in just his fourth international match. The 21-year-old was the match winner with a three-pack. So it’s hard to get past the Benfica striker today. If both play, João Félix would probably have to give up his place. “Every coach sets up his team the way he thinks is right and adapts the strategy to the opponent. I will do that”, Santos left all options open before the game.