The echo of Portugal’s World Cup quarter-final exit in Qatar still reverberates among fans. The most persistent whispers after their exit are the ones surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo, who watched the crucial clash unfold from the bench. For weeks, former Portugal NT head coach Fernando Santos remained guarded and ambiguous in his reasoning for Ronaldo’s exclusion. However, Santos finally broke his silence and unveiled his perspective on that fateful decision.

Santos, who now plies his trade as the boss of Turkish club Besiktas, faced questions about benching Cristiano Ronaldo. With fans waiting to hear his proposition, he has now shed light on those tactics. So, let’s unravel the mystery.

Fernando Santos’ decision to bench Cristiano Ronaldo unveiled!

In a fresh revelation, Santos has disclosed the pivotal reason to snub Cristiano Ronaldo from the starting lineup during the World Cup. Contrary to conventional expectations, Santos stated that the decision wasn’t personal or political; instead, it was a tactical move to balance the team’s best interest in the tournament.

Speaking candidly, the Besiktas boss stated, “We made a tactical decision and left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench during the World Cup. I had to make this decision, and I did it right. If we had not been eliminated, there would not have been much trouble. The team is important to me.”

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Fernando Santos” strategic decision aimed at qualifying further in the tournament. His words imply that the decision was a calculated move for the benefit of the entire squad.

Santos also addressed Ronaldo’s form and fitness during and before the World Cup. Despite acknowledging Ronaldo as the best in the world, Santos argued that, at that moment, the 38-year-old wasn’t performing at his natural peak. Even though CR7 started Portugal’s group games and scored, Santos confessed that the Al-Nassr star was struggling with the aftermath of a disjointed season with Manchester United.

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Fernando Santos has not spoken with Ronaldo since the World Cup

Adding another layer to this saga, Fernando Santos disclosed that he had not spoken with Cristiano Ronaldo since the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup campaign. “We don’t talk since … I don’t know which day, but since we came back from Qatar,” the coach revealed. This silent rift between the two figures raises questions about the aftermath of strategic decisions in soccer.

The duo of Ronaldo and Santos worked together in the national team setup for eight years and won the Euros together in 2016. However, as Morocco knocked out Portugal in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, the story came to a bitter end. Despite everything, both the figures are enjoying a new phase in their careers once again. It’ll be interesting to see Ronaldo’s opinions on this revelation.

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