Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been Portugal’s most potent asset on the pitch for years, was surprisingly benched during the national side’s 2022 World Cup run in Qatar — a move that remains highly controversial among football fans. Ronaldo witnessed his team’s quarter-final exit from the sidelines after Portugal head coach Fernando Santos decided to bench the veteran striker.
Santos, who is currently the manager of the Turkish team Besiktas, came under fire for benching Cristiano Ronaldo. He has now revealed his “tactics” to his supporters, who have long-questioned his reasoning behind the controversial decision to bench the star footballer in the all-important match, reported essentially sports.
As per the former Portugal head coach, he snubbed Ronaldo to ensure a “balance with the team’s interests” and clarified that the move wasn’t personal or political.
“We made a tactical decision and left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench during the World Cup. I had to make this decision and I did it right. If we had not been eliminated, there would not have been much trouble. The team is important to me,” he said.—APP
