adminDOHA. – Cristiano Ronaldo was reduced to the role of the superstar nobody wants after Portugal followed Manchester United’s lead in deciding they might just be better off without him.
And better off without him they certainly were as Portugal rewarded coach Fernando Santos’s courage in dropping his country’s sporting icon with the complete attacking performance and a 6-1 win over Switzerland that sets up a World Cup quarter-final against Morocco.
Santos was not only vindicated for his decision to axe Ronaldo after publicly criticising his gestures when he was substituted in the last group game against South Korea, he hit the jackpot as his young replacement Goncalo Ramos looked the real deal in hitting a superb hat-trick.
It has been a bruising time for 37-year-old Ronaldo’s considerable pride and ego as first his Manchester United career ended in acrimony following public criticism of the club and now Portugal did what was previously unthinkable – at least going as far back as 31 games and before Euro 2008 – and ditched him from their starting line-up at a major tournament.
This was certainly the bravest selectorial call of this World Cup and the biggest of Santos’ eight-year time in charge of Portugal.
Portugal moved smoothly through midfield with Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes at the controls, and up front Benfica’s 21-year-old striker Ramos, previously unknown on this sort of goal-scoring stage, carried any burden he may have been feeling as Ronaldo’s replacement lightly.
And through it all sat Ronaldo, cameras trained on every facial expression as the Portuguese national hero saw the first signs of his international career following his Manchester United career into the pa
Ronaldo may yet make a decisive contribution at this tournament – he is trying to attract a new club after all – but it is hard to see him making it as a starter against Morocco.
After being shown the door at Manchester United for his petulance and outspoken views on the club’s hierarchy, he now finds himself marginalised on territory where he must have thought he was even more untouchable with Portugal.
As the old saying goes, Ronaldo was the future once.
He increasingly looks like the past and the future belongs to emerging stars such as Ramos and Leao.
So what now for the fallen idol of club and country? Surely the bench at best against Morocco. – BBC Sport.
Online Reporter