Fernando Santos: "Leave Cristiano alone"

Fernando Santos, the Portugal coach, used elegance to explain what happened with regard to Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he left on the bench during the game against Switzerland.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
09 December 2022 Friday 08:34
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Fernando Santos: "Leave Cristiano alone"

Fernando Santos, the Portugal coach, used elegance to explain what happened with regard to Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he left on the bench during the game against Switzerland. The coach explained the conversation he had with the Madeira man and settled the matter by asking for respect towards him after rumors that he had threatened to leave the concentration. "Leave Ronaldo alone, he doesn't deserve it, for everything he has done for Portuguese football," he asked the press.

The Portuguese coach elaborated to clarify what happened. "I had a conversation with Ronaldo, it would have been bad if he hadn't had it." Against Switzerland, Cristiano did not start and despite the fact that Santos gives the eleven an hour and a half before the matches with the striker he made an exception. "It was fair on my part. I don't do it with everyone, it's true, but he is the captain of the team, with the projection he has, for what he has given to Portuguese football, for what he represents... Naturally, deserved it."

Santos explained chronologically how it happened. "It happened the day of the match, after lunch. I didn't speak to Ronaldo before, neither on Monday nor on Sunday. It was to explain to him the reasons why he wasn't going to play."

The coach explained that he did not have him at the start, but he did during the game. "I thought the game was going to be very complicated and, in the second half, Cristiano's entry could solve the game. I explained it to him naturally. Cristiano, naturally, wasn't very happy. He always played as a starter, except against Spain It is normal that he was not very satisfied and said 'Mister, but do you think...?'".

From what Santos recounted, it was a calm conversation in which he gave his arguments. "He didn't just accept them, which is normal, but he never, at any time, told me he wanted to leave the national team. I think it's time we cleared up some things. It's fashionable to single out Cristiano."

And later he praised his captain. "He was the example he gave in the game. He yelled in the locker room, as usual. He went out with all the players to warm up, he jumped on all the goals with his teammates. There is even a moment when he is clapping with João Mário. Al In the end, it was he who called his teammates to thank the fans, and the only thing they noticed was that he left alone", he declared asking for respect for the Portuguese legend.