The Portugal national team was sent home in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Quarterfinal round on Saturday, as Morocco came away with a 1-0 win to advance to the semifinals of the tournament.
The main storyline heading into the match centered on whether Portugal manager Fernando Santos would opt to once again start Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in a crucial World Cup knockout stage fixture. He ended up rolling with the exact same attack that he went with in the 6-1 win over Switzerland in the round of 16, as Goncalo Ramos earned the start as the main center forward in Portugal’s 4-3-3 formation against Morocco.
Santos ultimately called on Ronaldo to enter the match in the 51st minute. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner recorded one shot on target during his time on the pitch, and in the end, Portugal failed to get on the scoresheet.
During his post-match press conference, Santos was asked about his call to begin the contest with Ronaldo on the bench, to which he kept it simple with his answer.
“No regrets,” Santos said.
Santos added that in the big picture, he and Ronaldo are simply displeased with the result.
“I think this was a team which played very well against Switzerland,” Santos said. “Cristiano Ronaldo is a great player, he came in when we thought it was necessary, so no regrets.
“If we take two persons that were the most upset, it is Cristiano Ronaldo and myself. Of course, we are upset, but that is part of the job of the coach and the player.”
Ronaldo sure now has his attention set on his future at the club level, as he is currently a free agent after he elected to part ways with Manchester United last month.
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