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Former Portugal national team manager, Fernando Santos, has disclosed that Cristiano Ronaldo has not spoken to him since the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The fallout traces back to Santos’s decision to drop Ronaldo during the tournament in Qatar.
The controversial choice came after Ronaldo could only manage one goal in three group games, leading to his exclusion from Portugal’s last 16 match against Switzerland. In his absence, Goncalo Ramos, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain, scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory. Although Ronaldo was later brought in during the quarter-final against Morocco, Portugal was eliminated, emphasizing Santos’s decision.
Santos clarified, “We haven’t spoken since I came from Qatar. On the day of the game, in the morning, when I went to explain that he wasn’t going to play and why he wasn’t playing, he misunderstood.”
Despite this strained relationship, Ronaldo has made a resurgence under new manager Roberto Martinez, scoring nine goals in seven European qualifiers. Santos defends his decision, stating it was strategic, addressing Ronaldo’s tough period in the second half of 2022.
The situation remains unresolved, and it raises questions about Ronaldo’s future with the national team. Portugal’s next UEFA European Championship Qualifiers match against Liechtenstein looms, and all eyes are on Ronaldo’s role in the team.
