MX23RW : Thursday, November 7 19:37:46| >> :120:6572:6572:
[monks data]
Morocco national football team
World Cup | Quarter-Finals
Dec 10, 2022 at 3pm UK
Al Thumama Stadium
Portugal national football team

Morocco
1 - 0
Portugal

En-Nesyri (42')
Dari (70'), Cheddira (90+1')
Cheddira (90+3')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Vitinha (87')

Fernando Santos: 'Time to leave Cristiano Ronaldo alone'

Fernando Santos: 'Time to leave Cristiano Ronaldo alone'
© Reuters
Portugal boss Fernando Santos says that it is 'time to leave Cristiano Ronaldo alone', with the 37-year-old again hitting the headlines in recent days.

Portugal boss Fernando Santos has said that it is 'time to leave Cristiano Ronaldo alone', as the national side prepare for their World Cup quarter-final with Morocco.

Ronaldo was left out of the starting XI for Portugal's last-16 clash with Switzerland, and his replacement, Goncalo Ramos, scored three times during a 6-1 victory for A Selecao.

There has since been rumours surrounding the 37-year-old, with a report in Record claiming that he threatened to leave the camp after learning of the manager's decision.

Portugal and Ronaldo have since insisted that was not the case, and Santos has also denied that the free agent threatened a walk-out despite being "not very happy" about his substitute role.

"I spoke to him after lunch on the day of the game and invited him into my office," Santos told reporters.

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo in action against Ghana at the World Cup on November 24, 2022© Reuters

"For obvious reasons Cristano was not very happy about it as he has always been the starting player. He told me: 'Do you really think it's a good idea?' but we had a normal conversation in which I explained my viewpoints and of course he accepted them. We had a frank and normal conversation.

"I think it's high time to leave Ronaldo alone. He has never told me that he wanted to leave our national team and I think it's high time we stopped with this conversation, that we stop with the polemics."

Santos also said that he is expecting to face "a very strong" Morocco on Saturday, with Walid Regragui's side knocking Spain out of the competition on penalties in the round of 16.

"This is a very strong team, even in offensive positions. To think this is going to be an easy match for Portugal, it won't be," Santos added.

Portugal manager Fernando Santos on September 24, 2022© Reuters

"My players know what this opponent will offer, how competent they are. So we have to go on the pitch with the same joy and without fear to play confidently, because obviously it isn't enough to just be competitive."

Joao Felix, meanwhile, also called on "the Portuguese people" and "the press" to stop speaking about Ronaldo, as the European nation go in search of their first ever World Cup.

"I would like to leave a message to the Portuguese people and to the press. Portugal is in a great competition. We haven't reached the quarter-finals for a long time. We should all be closer together and not try to get the atmosphere worse," said the Atletico Madrid forward.

Portugal have never won the World Cup, with their best performance at the finals proving to be back in 1966, when they finished third at the competition.

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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo pictured on the substitutes' bench before the match on December 7, 2022
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Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

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Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

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Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

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Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

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Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
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Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

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Q Brazil Brazil32016
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3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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