Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Santos are barely on talking terms. The duo, who were the architects behind Portugal’s Euro and Nations League victories, had a forgettable World Cup in Qatar. As a result, the manager left the job in 2023. His much-talked-about decision at the tournament also appeared to damage his bond with the soccer icon. It, however, seems Santos still holds his fellow Portuguese in high regard.

The World Cup was a turning point for both Santos and Ronaldo. The enigmatic forward exited Europe for Al Nassr, where he has rediscovered his goal-scoring form. The Portuguese manager, meanwhile, had a short spell with Poland before undertaking the job at Turkey’s Besiktas J.K.

Fernando Santos lauds ‘impeccable’ Cristiano Ronaldo

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The World Cup in Qatar was a rare blip in Cristiano Ronaldo’s career. He scored just a single goal at the mega event, courtesy of a penalty. Also, Ronaldo found himself out of the starting XI for the knockout games. A huge blow for someone as accomplished as the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner. As per Santos, they haven’t talked ever since but it hasn’t changed his feelings for Ronnie at all.

The manager said (translated via DeepL), ” I had and still have great feelings for him, beyond just football today, Ronaldo is back in excellent shape, playing regularly, which didn’t happen before the World Cup, scoring a lot of goals, I am very happy for him.”

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Santos also highlighted the professionalism and commitment of the soccer icon despite not playing a prominent role. He explained, “I must say that he had an impeccable attitude towards the team. As you can see in the pictures, he celebrated a lot for the goals against Switzerland, which we won 6-1 and gave his best when he came on the pitch.”

Benching someone like Ronaldo is not easy at all. However, Santos had a very reasonable explanation for his decision.

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Santos benched Ronaldo, who was going through his ‘worst moment’

Ronaldo’s form in the second half of 2022 was the reason why he found himself out of favor with the manager. He lost his son during childbirth and this did affect him as per his coach. However, it’s the sporting aspect that really concerned Santos.

He explained, “Cristiano didn’t play pre-season. He didn’t train for two months.” While praising Ronaldo’s fitness levels, Santos questioned his match rhythm. He said, “Anyway, in terms of the pace of the game, it was his worst moment. He had no rhythms.”

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Was benching Cristiano Ronaldo fair? Will he return for the next World Cup? Let us know in the comments below.

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