According to former Portugal coach Fernando Santos, despite being as close as father and son, Cristiano Ronaldo has distanced himself from him since the 2022 World Cup - where the superstar had to sit out the last two matches.
Speaking to A Bola last week, Santos admitted to having a very close relationship with Ronaldo both professionally and personally, from the time they met at Sporting Lisbon and the 19-year-old superstar, to when they both played for the Portuguese national team. "We have always been very close, like father and son, or a little less so, like brothers," he said.
"But it's unclear since when, maybe after the 2022 World Cup, we no longer have contact or talk," the 69-year-old coach continued.
Ronaldo left the field after being substituted by coach Santos in the middle of the second half of Portugal's 1-2 loss to South Korea in the final round of the group stage on December 2. Photo: AFP
Relations between Santos and Ronaldo became strained after the final match against South Korea in the 2022 World Cup group stage, when the 38-year-old striker expressed his displeasure at being substituted. Santos then dropped Ronaldo from the starting lineup for the next match against Switzerland in the round of 16, making room for young talent Goncalo Ramos - who scored three goals and helped Portugal reach the last eight.
In the quarter-finals against Morocco, Ronaldo was again on the bench, but this time Portugal lost 0-1. In both matches, the former Man Utd striker came on in the second half. Coach Santos was later fired by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), despite having led the Iberian team to Euro 2016 and Nations League 2019.
Santos stressed that Ronaldo's benching against Switzerland was a strategic decision and stemmed from the striker's difficult second half of 2022, both professionally and personally. He recalled the incident in which Ronaldo lost his newborn son Angel, missed the pre-season and was often on the bench when he returned to Man Utd. Therefore, Santos believes that Ronaldo is not in good form and lacks rhythm and has tried to integrate him into the squad in pre-World Cup friendlies and group stage matches.
"If you ask me if Ronaldo is at the top in terms of physical fitness and personal parameters, I would say yes. No one takes better care of his body and his form than Ronaldo," Santos added. "But in terms of the tempo of the game, that was Ronaldo's worst moment. Otherwise, there is no problem. In sprints or endurance tests, Ronaldo can still beat his teammates."
The former Portugal coach emphasized that if he had to decide again now, he would still leave Ronaldo on the bench because he thought this was the best tactical decision. Santos said the coaching staff had discussed this issue thoroughly and agreed that the team played well against Switzerland so they did not want to change in the next match against Morocco.
Coach Santos walked past Ronaldo on the bench during Portugal's 6-1 win over Switzerland in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup. Photo: Reuters
"This is not an easy decision. Including personal issues, emotions and other issues, because Ronaldo has a lot of weight. But first of all I have to think about the team," the 69-year-old coach emphasized. "But my trust in Ronaldo has not changed. Ronaldo can come on the field at any time and change the game. If we win against Morocco, Ronaldo can start in the next match against France."
When asked about Ronaldo's reaction, Santos revealed: "On the morning before the match, when I announced and explained that Ronaldo would be on the bench, he misunderstood. I understand his reaction. I mentioned that it was a difficult time, and it felt like I as a friend abandoned my best friend. But my feelings are still the same. The relationship is still the same, I still see Ronaldo as a son or a brother. I know it hurts, but that's life."
Santos said he had experienced a similar situation with Bruno Alves, when the relationship between the two teachers and students was affected because he did not call up the central defender, and then everything passed. Therefore, the former Portugal coach hopes that the relationship with Ronaldo will gradually improve over time. "I realized that Ronaldo was hurt at that time, and now he probably still is. But the relationship we have is not a normal relationship," he expressed. "I hope that one day the current situation will change. If that does not happen, be patient. I am sad, but that is how things are."
After leaving Portugal, Santos had a brief spell in charge of Poland. He only managed six games, winning three and losing three, and was sacked in early September.
Hong Duy
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