“I haven’t spoken to Cristiano Ronaldo since the World Cup”

In an extensive interview with ‘Abola’, Fernando Santosformer coach of Portugalspoke about the reasons why he was left out of the eleven Cristiano Ronaldo in battles of Qatar World Cup against Switzerland and Morocco. The coach gives his reasons, which concern two aspects of the striker.

“We have not spoken since I arrived from Qatar. We had a very close sporting and personal relationship. What happened had nothing to do with that. It was a technical decision. In the second half of 2022 he spent six that was a terrible month, mentally. and physically. It started with that misfortune that befell him and his family and none of us would want to go through (the death of one of the twins). The big that moment had an effect on him and then there was the sporting part. Cristiano didn’t play in the preseason and wasn’t there for two months. train. I don’t have a match rhythm,” he explained.

And he added: “If it happened to me today, I would do the same. I thought strategically it was the best decision. It was not an easy decision, but the team comes first.” “I could have come on as a substitute against Switzerland, but the game went so well that in the next game it doesn’t make sense to change.” “On the day of the game, in the morning, when I went to explain to him that I would not play and why I would not play, he misunderstood me. I understand his reaction. For my part, the relationship. is the same and he’s still like a son or brother to me.”

Fernando Santos makes it clear that “the day the phone rings he always knows I’m here. This is guaranteed. I know this hurts, I know it hurts a lot, but that’s life.” “There’s no regret on my part. I understand that I was hurt at the time and I realize that I might still be hurt. But the relationship we had is not just any relationship.”