Cristiano Ronaldo refuted rumors that he intended to abandon the World Cup after being benched for Portugal’s victory against Switzerland in the round of 16, maintaining that the team remained ‘unified.’
Ronaldo has battled for form in Qatar, attempting to beat Portugal’s all-time goalscoring record at the World Cup, currently held by the late Eusebio. Ronaldo’s club career was in limbo before the start of the World Cup following a bitter divorce from Manchester United.
With each passing game, the 37-year-old has played fewer and fewer minutes, and coach Fernando Santos omitted him entirely for the match against Switzerland.
In Cristiano Ronaldo absence, 21-year-old substitute Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick in his maiden international debut, making it difficult for Santos to return to his captain as Portugal attempts to go further in the tournament.
Ronaldo and Santos subsequently acknowledged that Ronaldo’s substitution against South Korea resulted from an argument with an opposition player and not because he refused to leave the field.
Former Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes recently defended Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that any player would be dissatisfied with being benched.
The Portuguese press afterward reported that Ronaldo had vowed to leave the World Cup before being convinced to alter his mind and remain. However, the Portuguese football organization has said this has never been the case.
Ronaldo has addressed the rumors directly, saying, “This group is too unified to be torn apart by other forces. A country incapable of being scared by any opponent. This is a genuine squad that will battle till the end for their goal.”
