Portugal-Hammer!
Cristiano Ronaldo (37) is in WM-Round of 16 against Switzerland on Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. (ARD/Magenta and BILD-Live-Ticker) not in the starting XI.
The Portuguese has to sit on the bench. What a humiliation for the multiple Ballon d’Or winner!
Ronaldo has scored 118 goals in 194 games for the Selecao. The World Cup in Qatar is the fifth participation in a World Cup for the superstar. At the World Cup in 2010, 2014 and 2018, Ronaldo always played the entire season.
In the previous three appearances at the desert World Cup in Qatar, Ronaldo has remained rather pale, but was able to convert a penalty in the 3-2 win over Ghana to make it 1-0.
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In all 20 games during a World Cup, he was always in the starting XI. From a total of 194 international matches, the superstar was always allowed to play from the start in 182 games.
In Portugal he is actually a folk hero. In 2016 he led the national team to the first major title in Portugal’s football history at the European Championships in France.
Ronaldo has been without a club since November 22nd after leaving Manchester United, according to Spanish Marça he should switch to Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia).
Ahead of the World Cup round of 16 between Portugal and Switzerland, Portugal’s biggest sports paper, A Bola, asked readers if Ronaldo should be left out of the starting XI.
Not enough for the “A Bola” readers! 70 percent of the survey participants were in favor of Ronaldo being put on the bench for the Switzerland game. Which also upsets his family.
Ronaldo’s sister Katia Aveiro said on CNN Portugal: “That’s the focus: enjoying these final moments of Cristiano’s career. All Portuguese should do that. I speak as Portuguese and not as a sister.”
He continued: “I think we should all be thankful for everything he’s done, for everything he’s worked for, for everything he’s achieved over the last few years. There is no Portuguese who has won what he has won.”
However, today he is only on the bench against Switzerland…
