Portugal forward and captain Cristiano Ronaldo has been benched for the country's 2022 World Cup last-16 clash with Switzerland.
Ronaldo was at the centre of a controversy during the team's final group game against South Korea, which Portugal lost 2-1, when he made a 'shh' gesture by bringing his finger to his lips when being taken off.
“Have I seen the images? Yes, I didn’t like it, not at all. I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it," he said.
"But from that moment onwards everything is finished regarding that issue.
"These matters are resolved behind closed doors. It’s resolved. Full stop on this matter and now everyone is focused on tomorrow’s match.”
"I didn’t like it, not at all," Santos said Monday. "I really didn’t like it. We dealt with this internally. From that moment onwards, everything is finished — full-stop on that issue. It is solved, we fixed it, and that’s it."
In the moment, Santos would not confirm if Ronaldo would remain captain or start against Switzerland, saying, "I will only decide who is going to be the captain when I reach the stadium. I don’t know the lineup. That’s what I always do. What I have always done is focus on the immediate match. I am not worried if one report is right or wrong."
Tuesday, Santos made the call and Ronaldo begins the knockout round on the bench.
The 37-year-old Portuguese striker has been the center of attention since before the World Cup started, from leaving Manchester United to reports that he may sign with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr for a salary worth more than $200 million per year.
After scoring in a penalty kick in Portugal’s first game against Ghana, making him the first male footballer to score in five World Cups, Ronaldo has yet to score again.
Ronaldo has been Portugal’s national team captain for more than a decade. Gonçalo Ramos, 21, will start in his place.
And replace him he did.
Ramos scored his first World Cup goal on his fourth touch of the game in the 17th minute to give Portugal a 1-0 lead. Ronaldo received a loud cheer when he was shown on the big screen, expressionless, after Ramos’ goal.
It was the first time Ronaldo didn’t lead his teammates onto the field as the captain in Qatar, with Pepe taking up the armband. The 39-year-old defender then scored Portugal’s second goal, with Ronaldo running off the bench to hug the veteran near one of the corners.
Ronaldo had jogged onto the field for the pre-match warmup alone, after the starters, and was with the substitutes kicking the ball around with them in light drills. He was smiling when he returned to the locker room and paused for a photo with a female volunteer. He leaned down and draped his arm around her for the picture.
Ronaldo was still smiling when he came through the tunnel again ahead of the start of the game wearing a yellow substitutes bib. Ronaldo initially took an empty seat in the dugout and then took his place on the field for the national anthem. He received a rousing cheer that drew a smirk from the superstar when he was shown on the big screens inside the stadium.
This is expected to be Ronaldo’s final World Cup.
Ramos, who plays for Portuguese club Benfica, made his debut for Portugal last month in a warmup game against Nigeria and scored his first international goal. He replaced Ronaldo late in the opening World Cup match against Ghana, and again against Uruguay.
Ramos has scored 21 goals this year for Benfica.
João Cancelo, a fullback who started all three matches of the group stage, was also dropped from the starting lineup.
Ronald’s benching came after he showed obvious displeasure at being removed from the game against South Korea on Friday.
Ronaldo has come out and defended himself, saying he was directing the gesture at a South Korean player.
“Before my substitution, one of their 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.”
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