Fernando Santos has said he was deeply unimpressed by Cristiano Ronaldo’s behavior when the striker left the field against South Korea and refused to guarantee the 37-year-old would captain Portugal in Tuesday’s last 16 clash final against Switzerland. The head coach insists Ronaldo has been treated after his latest outburst, but considers the case closed.
Ronaldo reacted angrily after being withdrawn midway through the second half of Friday’s loss to South Korea. He put an index finger to his lips as he left the field and later said opposing striker Cho Gue-sung pestered him to ask him to speed up his exit. “Before my substitution, one of his players was telling me to leave quickly,” Ronaldo said. “I told him to shut up, he has no authority, he doesn’t have to say anything.”
Asked about Ronaldo’s substitution at a press conference on Tuesday, Santos said: “Have I seen the footage? Yes, I didn’t like it at all. I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it. But from this moment is all over on this issue. These matters are resolved behind closed doors. It is settled. Final point on this issue and now everyone is focused on tomorrow’s game.”
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Santos would not confirm whether Ronaldo would captain Portugal. “I just decide who will be the captain when I get to the stadium,” Santos said. “I still don’t know what the lineup will be. This is what I have always done and this is what I will always do and tomorrow will be the same. The other issue is resolved. We fixed it at home and that’s it.”
Ronaldo became the first male player to score in five World Cups when he converted a penalty against Ghana in their opening Group H match. A free agent after leaving Manchester United, he is seriously considering a lucrative bid to join the se at the club of Saudi Arabia Al Nassr. Ronaldo has received a formal offer that would pay him almost €200m (£173m) per season on a contract until 2025.
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo
“That’s his decision, that’s what he has to deal with,” Santos said of Ronaldo’s future. “We are totally focused on the World Cup. That’s all we talked about.”