Famous Portuguese football agent Paulo Barbosa shared his opinion on the decision of Portuguese head coach Fernando Santos not to include Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting lineup for the quarterfinal match of the World Cup in Qatar against Morocco.
"If Ronaldo didn't play from the start, then he didn't deserve it. It means he's not okay. The coach sees what condition the players are in, who is more prepared. We all knew Ronaldo wasn't in very good shape this season. He didn't have a good preseason, he didn't play many games in England, so we could hardly expect him to perform better at the World Cup. There will be complaints about Santos anyway, because when a team loses, it's always the coach who is to blame. I doubt that our federation will renew his contract," Barbosa told Telecom Asia Sport.
Is it the end for Cristiano? I do not think so. He has his own records, he hasn't yet refused to play in the Portuguese national team shirt. He said goodbye to the World Cup, but at the European Championship we can see him. At least he said himself that he wants to play until he is 40.
Ronaldo took to the field in the game against Morocco in the 51st minute, replacing Rúben Neves when the score was 1-0 in favor of the African team. Before the end of the game, the 37-year-old forward had a number of dangerous moments at the Moroccan gate, but the Portuguese were unable to get back into the game.
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