Fernando Santos has explained why he made the decision to drop Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench for Portugal's rampant 6-1 2022 FIFA World Cup round of 16 win over Switzerland.
Ronaldo's Next Club 'Confirmed'
The headline news ahead of A Selecao's last 16 game on Tuesday night was that Ronaldo was left out of Santos' first XI despite being fully fit and having started in all three of their group matches at the global showpiece in Qatar.
Rumours suggested his exclusion was due to the 37-year-old's behaviour after he was substituted against South Korea last week, but Santos insisted his decision was based purely on what hat-trick hero Goncalo Ramos could offer the team.
"Andre [Silva] who is a great player who plays more advanced, Cristiano is more fixed, he stays in a more determined area towards the box," he told reporters.
"Goncalo has different characteristics. He is very dynamic and the observations I made and that is what he ended up showing us.
"It is nothing new, he already came on in two matches, but I would say as Andre also played in a previous match, I have three players I fully trust.
"For each match I will use which player I see for my strategy. All the players on the bench can be used [against Morocco] [even] if they are not in the starting XI."
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Santos was also asked to explain Ronaldo's future in the national team following the side's emphatic performance without him, suggesting that it is yet to be determined at this point.
"That is still something which has to be defined. I have a very close relationship with him, I always have. I've known him since he was 19 at Sporting and then he started to develop in the national squad when I arrived in 2014," he added.
"Ronaldo and I never misinterpret the human and personal aspect with that of manager and player. I will always consider that he is a very important player to have in the team.
"This [disciplinary matter] is something that is finished and solved, it is also important to look at the example of this player's history. He is one of the best players in the world and therefore all we have to do is come [together] collectively."
Earlier this week, a survey conducted by popular Portuguese newspaper A Bola found that 70% of voters wanted Ronaldo relegated to the bench, just weeks after his controversial interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's part-time role at Manchester United ultimately led to his free-agent departure, with it yet to be known what Santos' decision means for his international career.
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