DOHA – Portugal supervisor Fernando Santos stated that he would no longer alternate his choice of leaving Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench even after his crew was once knocked-out from the World Cup due to a 1-0 defeat towards Morocco in their quarter-final conflict on Saturday.
Portugal’s all-time main aim scorer with 118 desires in 195 appearances, Ronaldo used to be benched for Tuesday’s 6-1 win over Switzerland in the final sixteen the place the 21-year-old Ramos scored three in solely his fourth appearance.
Ronaldo stormed off the pitch after the closing whistle crying effusively whilst being comforted by means of his crew mates.
“I do not regret (leaving Ronaldo on the bench),” coach Santos told a news conference on Saturday.
“It wouldn’t change anything, in terms of the team I can’t be thinking with my heart.
“I used the team that played really well against Switzerland and there was no reason to change it (against Morocco).
“The strategic decision that I had to make was one of the hardest, but I can’t think with my heart, I have to think with my head.
“It’s not that Ronaldo is no longer a great player, that has nothing to do with it.”
Morocco’s Atlas Lions prolonged their dream run and roared into the records books with the aid of turning into the first-ever African and Arab u . s . a . to attain the last 4 of the event thanks to a Youssef En-Nesyri aim in the first-half.
Santos refused to remark on whether or not he will resign and stated that he will discuss to the Portuguese FA president over the subsequent week about his future.
He stated his crew had difficulties discovering areas between the disciplined Moroccan shielding lines, and he praised their opponents for their effort, pronouncing it was once “completely their merit.”
“Sometimes in soccer what you want is a little bit of luck,” Santos said.
“We confirmed effort and quality, had numerous probabilities to rating with Joao Felix, and Bruno Fernandes hit the bar, Pepe had a header in the stop that ought to have been the equaliser… A bit of success used to be missing.”
