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Ronaldo eyes World Cup quarters as Morocco dare to dream
Portugal’s forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo takes part in a training session at the Al Shahaniya SC training site, northwest of Doha on December 5, 2022, on the eve of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Round of 16 football match between Portugal and Switzerland. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
Ronaldo a bystander as Portugal find magic touch at World Cup
DOHA: Cristiano Ronaldo first found himself unloved and unwanted by Manchester United. Now the unthinkable has happened — he has been dumped by Portugal. The superstar forward was largely a spectator as the side he has captained for so long threw off the shackles and romped to a 6-1 victory over Switzerland in the World Cup last-16 on Tuesday. Young striker Goncalo Ramos, brought in for Ronaldo, scored a stunning hat-trick and at least competed with his illustrious teammate for the headlines. Ronaldo came to the World Cup seeking respite after his troubled spell at Old Trafford this season, where he had become a peripheral figure under new manager Erik ten Hag. Those frustrations boiled over last month in an explosive TV interview in which he lashed out at the club and the coach, leading to an inevitable parting of the ways. The 37-year-old landed in Qatar to the usual fanfare, once again the focus of fawning attention from the world’s media. Things even went to script in Portugal’s first game, when he scored the opener from the penalty spot in a 3-2 win against Ghana, becoming the first man to score goals at five World Cups. But things went downhill from there. He huffed and puffed through games against Uruguay and South Korea but failed to find the net and Portugal were less than the sum of their considerable parts. Portugal coach Fernando Santos, who masterminded the side’s triumph at Euro 2016, finally took the decision to leave his star man out against the Swiss and was vindicated in spectacular fashion. Portugal turned on the style, with Benfica’s Ramos, 21, netting three times in a free-flowing attacking performance.
Portugal bench Cristiano Ronaldo for Swiss last-16 clash
Portugal coach Fernando Santos dropped skipper and all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench for their World Cup last-16 clash against Switzerland, with veteran defender Pepe taking the captain's armband.
Brave Morocco advance as Spain flop in shootout
AL RAYYAN, Qatar : Achraf Hakimi calmly converted a penalty to send Morocco through to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time with a 3-0 shootout win over former champions Spain after a cagey last-16 clash ended goalless on Tuesday.
Bentancur muscle injury set to delay Spurs return - reports
Tottenham Hotspur's Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur tore an adductor muscle in his country's 2-0 World Cup group stage win over Ghana on Friday, with the issue likely to sideline him for three weeks, Uruguayan media reported on Tuesday.
Ronaldo benched for Portugal's last-16 clash with Switzerland
LUSAIL, Qatar :Portugal coach Fernando Santos benched skipper and all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo for their World Cup last-16 clash against Switzerland on Tuesday, with veteran defender Pepe taking the captain's armband.
Ronaldo eyes World Cup quarters as Morocco dare to dream
DOHA: Cristiano Ronaldo will aim to fire Portugal past Switzerland and into the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday as Morocco bid to derail Spain’s bid for a second global crown. Just two last-eight slots remain to be filled in Qatar after five-time winners Brazil swatted aside South Korea 4-1 and 2018 finalists Croatia squeezed past Japan via a penalty shoot-out. Ronaldo was hogging the headlines at the tournament even before he kicked a ball after launching a tirade against Manchester United and their manager Erik ten Hag. Following an exit by “mutual agreement” he is now seeking a new team, with sources saying he is in talks over a blockbuster deal with Saudi club Al-Nassr. The 37-year-old superstar forward, who is appearing in what is almost certainly his last World Cup, has been a shadow of his former self in Qatar despite all the hype. After scoring a penalty in his team’s opening clash against Ghana to become the first player to score at five World Cups, he has huffed and puffed but has failed to find the net again. Ronaldo’s starting role in the team remains a hot topic among Portugal fans, but coach Fernando Santos said he was not paying attention to the raging debate. “I do not read this type of material,” he said. “It is not a lack of respect, it is simply that we have three days to train for a game and I am not looking at other kinds of news. We focus on the upcoming match.” Santos said he expected a close contest against Switzerland. Portugal beat the Swiss 4-0 in the UEFA Nations League in June before losing 1-0 in the reverse fixture.