DOHA: Portugal coach Fernando Santos insists his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo is unchanged despite dropping the captain for Tuesday's 6-1 win over Switzerland at the World Cup.
Ronaldo was benched after Santos expressed his disappointment with the striker's attitude following his substitution during last week's defeat to South Korea.
Santos said on Monday the matter had been resolved internally, but Ronaldo was then dropped to the bench for the clash at Lusail Stadium, starting a major-tournament match among the substitutes for the first time since 2008 (31 games).
A fan poll on the website of Portuguese newspaper A Bola suggested 70 per cent of Portugal fans wanted Ronaldo out of the team, and the Selecao went on to produce one of their best performances at a major tournament in years.
Goncalo Ramos replaced Ronaldo in the attack and had a hand in four goals, including a hat-trick, but Santos did not commit to keeping faith in the Benfica prospect for the quarter-final against Morocco.
Santos told reporters: "That's still something that has to be defined [who starts in the next game]. I already answered in yesterday's press conference [regarding Ronaldo]; there is no problem between us.
"I have a strong relationship with him, I always have. I have known him since he was young and at Sporting [CP], and then it started to develop in the national team.
"This relationship only developed. We've been friends for many years, things don't affect us.
"I already explained everything was resolved. I said that and I repeat that now. This is something that's finished and resolved.
"How he came in with a lot of will, he set an example as a great captain."
In scoring his hat-trick, Ramos became the first player to net three times on his first World Cup start since Miroslav Klose in 2002.
Similarly, it only took him 17 minutes to do what Ronaldo has never managed: score in a World Cup knockout game.
For most, Ramos starting the quarter-final clash would be a simple decision to make, but Santos intends to keep people guessing.
"Obviously I have my ways to observes things, I always have," he continued. "The players we have in this position obviously have many different characteristics.
"Andre [Silva] plays more advanced, Cristiano is more fixed, he plays in a determined area. Goncalo is dynamic.
"That's what he ended up showing us, but it was nothing new because he came on in two other games.
"I have three players I fully trust and for each match I will use what I think is the right strategy, as I have always done in my career."
Tuesday's success was Portugal's biggest ever victory in the knockout rounds of the World Cup, with it the first time they have scored six beyond the group stage.
It was a truly rampant performance, though Santos was particularly pleased that his team did not get carried away with the euphoria.
"It's exactly what I said [to the players]; when we are euphoric, I think we can go beyond what we should do in a match.
"We can end up having a bit too much fun, to use that expression, and football is not fun. Yes, you have to play, have fun in the field, but too much fun is not appropriate.
"In this aspect, in terms of how serious they were, they were fantastic."Portugal will face Morocco in their quarter-final at Al Thumama Stadium on Saturday.
Astro Arena
Tue Dec 06 2022
Portugal coach Fernando Santos insists his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo is unchanged despite dropping the captain for Tuesday's 6-1 win over Switzerland at the World Cup. - Stadium Astro
Chegubard didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen KL esok - Peguam
Badrul Hisham Shaharin atau dikenali Chegubard akan didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur esok atas pertuduhan memfitnah dan menghasut.
Pulau Pinang, kerajaan pusat bekerjasama tarik pelaburan semikonduktor
Kerajaan Pulau Pinang akan bekerjasama dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk meneruskan usaha menarik pelaburan dalam sektor semikonduktor, termasuk segmen reka bentuk litar bersepadu (IC) di negeri itu.
Rakyat Malaysia di Jordan jadi duta produk PMKS negara
Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi Datuk Ewon Benedick menyarankan rakyat Malaysia yang menetap di Jordan supaya memainkan peranan sebagai “duta” untuk mempromosikan produk perusahaan mikro kecil dan sederhana (PMKS) SERTA koperasi negara.
Mohamed Khaled tiba di Indonesia, dijadual bertemu Prabowo
Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin tiba di Jakarta hari ini untuk lawatan kerja rasmi sulung beliau ke Indonesia sejak memegang jawatan itu.
SPRM mohon maklumat dari Jerman
Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) memohon maklumat terkini daripada pihak berkuasa Jerman mengenai dana bon 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) yang dipercayai digunakan untuk membeli kereta mewah di negara itu pada 26 Okt 2022.
SPRM siasat pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air
Seorang pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air disiasat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) kerana disyaki melantik beberapa syarikat yang mempunyai kepentingan dengannya membabitkan beberapa projek pembekalan melibatkan peruntukan kira-kira RM300,000.
Kembangkan kandungan tempatan melalui AI
Menurut Setiausaha Agung Organisasi Kerjasama Digital (DCO) Deemah Al Yahya, terdapat 2.7 peratus daripada penduduk dunia tidak berhubung malah tidak mempunyai sambungan asas internet. Beliau turut berkata infrastruktur pengkomputeran setiap negara perlu mempunyai kemampuan untuk mengembangkan kandungan tempatan khususnya yang melibatkan penggunaan AI.
AI tidak dapat ganti guru
Menteri Pendidikan Rwanda, Gaspard Twagirayezu berkata kepesatan teknologi AI dalam pendidikan tidak dapat menggantikan guru malah membantu guru dalam menyediakan bahan pengajaran yang bermanfaat kepada pelajar.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 28 April 2024.
Mesyuarat Khas WEF: Dunia perlukan persaingan sihat dalam transisi ke Orde Baharu - Menteri Luar Arab Saudi
Menteri Luar Negeri Arab Saudi, Putera Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud berkata dunia memerlukan persaingan sihat dalam transisi daripada Orde Dunia Lama kepada Orde Baharu. Jelasnya, persaingan ini akan memberi manfaat dalam bentuk kos pengeluaran lebih rendah, perkembangan inovasi dan pelaburan lebih baik. #MesyuaratKhasWEF #WEF
Piala Dunia FIFA Qatar 2022 capai kejayaan dalam segenap aspek - Penganjur
Piala Dunia ke-22 berjaya menghimpukan pelbagai lapisan masyarakat yang berbeza budaya dan agama menyampaikan mesej keamanan melalui sukan.
Piala Dunia Qatar 2022: Pelanggan Pek Sukan Astro boleh akses sepenuhnya 64 perlawanan
Demam Piala Dunia FIFA Qatar 2022 semakin terasa apabila 32 pasukan bakal berentap bagi menjulang piala terulung dalam sukan bola sepak.
Kerajaan setuju RTM runding dapatkan hak penyiaran Piala Dunia 2022 - Annuar
Keputusan rundingan itu akan diketahui dalam masa terdekat.
RWC 2019: Rusia kecundang sekali lagi, dibelasah Samoa 9-34
Rusia mengalami kekalahan kedua dalam kempen Piala Dunia Ragbi 2019 selepas dibelasah Samoa 9-34 dalam perlawanan yang berlangsung di Stadium Ragbi Kumagaya, Jepun.
RWC 2019: England belasah Tonga 35-3
Pasukan rangking ketiga dunia England berjaya menumpaskan pasukan tangga ke 15 Tonga dengan kemenangan selesa 35 berbalas tiga dalam perlawanan di Sapporo Dome pada petang sabtu.
Debar sepak mula makin terasa, semangat #webelangtogether kian membara
Penyokong Malaysia dan Thailand mula membanjiri Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil bagi menyaksikan pertemuan separuh akhir pertama Kejohanan Bola Sepak Piala AFF Suzuki 2018 malam ini.
'GRO Piala Dunia' dicekup
Bahang saingan bola sepak Piala Dunia yang semakin menghangatkan kini turut digunakan pusat hiburan bagi melariskan perniagaan mereka.
'Sejarah hitam' Lampard tahun 2010 permulaan detik bersejarah buat bola sepak
Peristiwa berkenaan menjadi kontroversi dalam dunia bola sepak dan juga menjadi detik bersejarah buat FIFA, di mana akhirnya FIFA memutuskan untuk memasukkan teknologi bantuan pengadil.
Toni Kroos wira kebangkitan Jerman
Toni Kroos menjadi wira Jerman apabila menjaringkan gol kemenangan dalam masa kecederaan untuk mencerahkan peluang pasukannya mara ke pusingan kalah mati.
De Gea akan bangkit, kata penolong jurulatih Sepanyol
Carlos Marchena berkata penjaga gol Sepanyol, David de Gea, masih mendapat sokongan daripada rakan sepasukan dan akan bangkit daripada kesilapan yang dilakukan ketika berdepan Portugal.